Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes
by Cliodna
Summary: Harry has to stop the apocalypse. Again. Sequel to the Longest Day. Ch. 9 might be rated R though...
1. Beginnings

Disclaimer: I own nothing! 

**Author's Note:** Here it is, the first chapter of the Sequel to the Longest Day. If you haven't read the Longest Day, I suggest you do before reading this fic. _Remember:_ This fic takes place in Harry's 5th year. During summer, Dumbledore sent him to an Auror camp so he could get trained a bit and so he could take his mind off Cedric and the Triwizard Tournament. (I might one day write a prequel) Hermione accompanied him, but Ron couldn't because he and his family went off to Romania to visit Charlie. Harry and Hermione are prefects and Harry is the captain of the Quidditch team; Ron is the new Keeper. And most importantly, _Harry and Hermione are able to communicate telepathically._

v Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes Chapter 1: Beginnings 

It was nighttime in the Riddle House. As he sat there looking in the mirror, running his hands through his jet-black hair, he couldn't believe his luck. _Wormtail, that sodding git, actually did something right.  _He smiled a cold, mirthless smile. _I am back_.  He thought. _I am my old self.  _In his exile, he had forgotten how handsome he once was.  _I am the way I was, at full strength. _He contemplated his face, transfixed on the emerald green of his eyes. _The blood of an enemy_, _my worst enemy, my best enemy, has restored me.  _ He walked away from the mirror and turned to look out the window. _Too bad, his own blood will destroy him. _

*******

Far away from Voldemort, a young boy, similar in features to him, argued in the dead of night with his girlfriend. 

_*Hermione, we'll get caught!*_

_*No we won't.*_

_*Yes we will!*_

_*We haven't for the past two months now have we?*_

_*I know but, its bound to happen.*_

_*Harry, will you stop being a stupid prat and get your ass over here!*_

Harry sighed. _*If I must, I must.*_

Harry silently rolled out of bed, and put on his Invisibility Cloak. Making sure the other boys were asleep, he tiptoed to the door and gently walked out of his dorm room and closed the door.

 Harry didn't hear Ron sigh sleepily as he rolled over. "Who the bloody hell do they think they're fooling?" 

Meanwhile, back outside, Harry was walking about in front of the girls 5th year dormitory waiting for Hermione to open the door. 

_*Sorry I took so long, I thought Lavender saw me walk to the door.  She was just mumbling in her sleep. Did you know she fancies NEVILLE?*_

Without replying, Harry walked right into the dorm room as Hermione opened the door and silently walked to her bed. Hermione settled in and closed the red curtains all around her four-poster bed. 

Before Hermione had a chance to think anything, Harry grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. 

_*I've missed you* _He thought to her, as he gently tasted her with his lips.  

_*Harry, we just saw each other like four hours ago!* _Hermione thought to him, feeling herself melt at his touch. 

_*So we have, but not like this.*_

The "this" Harry was referring to was their weekly Friday night meetings. Every Friday night for the past two months, Harry would sneak in to Hermione's dorm room for a midnight snog session, then sneak back out before dawn. This was their only chance to be together privately. They knew they were still walking on eggshells with Ron. They were still leery of showing any strong affections in front of him. They had yet to _really_ discuss the events of three months ago with Ron, who seemed to want to change the subject every time it was mentioned. 

It was funny how "this" started. It all began two months ago, on a night like tonight.   

******

Hermione was in her bed, thrashing about. She could feel her temperature rising. She felt like she was burning up. She thought she could handle her fever alone, without alerting Madame Pomfrey, (our Hermione is stubborn, ya know) but she knew she could not-not alert Harry. Harry, sound asleep in his bed, awoke with a start when he felt a wave of her fever go through his body. 

_*Hermione.*_

_*Harry.*_ He heard her think faintly. 

_*Hermione, are you sick?* _

_*No Harry, I'm fine, go back to bed.* _

But before Harry could do just that, he felt another wave of her fever run through his body. 

_*Hermione I'm going to Madame Pomfrey.*_

_*No Harry! I'm fine! It's just a little fever. Go back to sleep!*_

_*Nope, I'm awake now, I'm going to your room.*_

Strangely enough, Hermione didn't protest. So Harry put on his Invisibility Cloak, and silently crept out of his room and into Hermione's. 

He held her that night, while she was suffering her fever. He took of his shirt and wet it with some of the water that was in a jar next to her bed. He put the wet cloth to her forehead, hoping against hope that this would help the fever break. He stayed with her until dawn, when he gladly noticed her fever had diminished and that she was now sound asleep. He gave her a light kiss on her forehead and silently crept back to his room, just before the sun rose.

The next morning at breakfast, Harry and Hermione tried to hide any evidence of the previous night before Ron. They went about it entirely the wrong way, however, because instead of talking to each other like they normally did, they spent their entire breakfast staring at each other. Ron was sure they were in some deep telepathic conversation, but of course, as is the case most of the time, he was wrong. The conversation between Harry and Hermione wasn't deep at all. In fact, I wouldn't be so quick to label it a conversation at all. They're "communication" largely revolved around this:

Harry: _*Are you okay?*_

Hermione: _*Ya.*_

And that's it. They continued eating their meal in silence, still staring at each other as if they were in a dessert looking at an oasis.  

Suddenly Hermione looked away from Harry, breaking the staring contest they had submerged themselves into and asked him very silently. 

_*Could you meet me in the broom closet in five minutes?*_

Harry, still staring at her, answered in the affirmative. _*Okay.*_

Hermione gathered her books and looked from Harry to Ron, stammering out her excuses, "I've…I've got to…go to the library!" she finished with a flourish, and ran out of the Great Hall. 

Ron turned to look at Harry with his eyebrows raised, "Don't look at me." Harry told him. "I've got to go check out something on the Quidditch pitch." Ron raised his eyebrows even higher. "I'll see ya in Divination!" He quickly yelled, as he left the Great Hall and turned in the direction opposite the way he should have gone if he had really meant to go to the Quidditch pitch.  

Ron looked after them, amusement in his eyes. "They are such bad liars!"

Back in the broom closet, Hermione was waiting nervously for Harry to arrive. 

_Why did I ask him to meet me here?_  

Hermione was aware that they had never done anything like this before. They had never done anything reckless in their relationship, and I use the term "relationship" loosely since their relationship was hardly a relationship at all, for fear of Ron, and the _Daily Prophet_, finding out. In fact, the only things they had done so far was quick peck on the lips or cheek when they felt no one was watching, and Harry made it a point to carry her things everywhere they went together, and they sometimes found themselves inexplicably gravitating towards each other so that they were in some small way, touching, whether it be by hand holding or Harry putting his hand on her shoulder. 

Yup, that was the nature of their "relationship." But somewhere, they both knew, that last night changed it all. The intimacy they shared wasn't something to be forgotten. 

Harry stepped into the broom closet quickly. He turned to look at Hermione, who was looking at him as if he were a complete stranger. 

_*Hermione?*_

Hermione snapped out of her reverie. 

_*Harry?*_

_*You had something you wanted to tell me?*_ Harry couldn't help but be amused at the lost look on her face. _I wonder what it is she wants to tell me_.  

They had gotten really good at blocking each other, well, kinda. It turns out, this telepathic communication isn't about blocking out things you didn't want the other to hear, but supplying the things you wanted the other to hear. Exactly like talking, only, in your head. It still happened that they supplied information unintentionally (like the time Harry started day-dreaming about Hermione in a short skirt, and Hermione turned around and smacked Harry upside the head, to the great wonder of the Gryffindor table).  Of course, nobody else knew save Dumbledor, Ron, Ginny (who had finally gotten it out of Ron) and Sirius (whom Harry told everything to) that they had developed this "connection."  

_*Harry, I want you to come to my room again.*_ Hermione stumbled out. She bit her lip and looked at him coyly after she thought this. 

Harry stared at her as if she had just told him she was going to elope with Voldemort.  

_*Excuse me?*_

_*You heard me. I want you to come to my room again.*_

Harry looked at her, clearly not believing this. _*When? Now?*_

_*No you git! Next Friday night!*_

_*Why? Are you planning on being sick again?*_ Harry asked her, an impish look on his face. 

Hermione knew he was trying to vex her. Clearly, he had succeeded.   
_*No Harry you bloody prat! I am not planning on being sick again. I want you to come visit me again, because…well, I kinda liked having you there. So, will you come?*_

Harry couldn't help notice how beautiful she looked when she was angry, or the hopeful look in her doe eyes, _*Of course I'll come.*_ He replied, quietly. 

They just stared at each other for a few minutes before they realized that they would be late for class. 

_*I guess we better go.*_ Hermione said, aware of the blush that had crept on to her cheek. 

_*Ya, I guess.*_ Harry said, moving away so that she could walk out first. 

_*Hermione wait.* _

Hermione turned to look at him as he slowly walked toward her and before she could react, kissed her on the lips. 

Hermione stood on her tiptoes to level with him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he, realizing that she had welcomed him, took liberty and put his hands on her waist. 

They felt as if they were on fire. All this time of being careful, taking things slow, the fear of being found out, all this washed away in this simple gesture. They deepened the kiss and to their amazement, the connection stirred within them and grew to a climatic point. They were both barraged with all these feelings. They felt each other's elation at finally being able to set free the feelings that began to surface in their mind with the start of their "connection" three weeks ago that quickly traveled to their hearts, and now filled their entire beings.  They felt each other's passion, confusion, fear, ecstasy, pain, helplessness, worry, and underlying it all was the clear and distinct feeling of love. A love that, if possible, was fueled even stronger by the night before, and by the loving gesture they shared right now. They were afraid of breaking away. It was as if their very existence depended on this kiss. The fate of the world, the balance of the universe, all depended on them. If they broke apart all would fail, yet they knew that they must. They finally succumbed to the human need of air and to their disdain, the strength of the connection shattered to the normal level they had while apart. Without the connection, they suddenly felt this ache within them, this feeling of emptiness, as if they were only half full.  

Hermione found that apart from the feeling of emptiness, she suffered a pleasant lightheaded feeling and she couldn't quite feel her legs. Harry, feeling her distress, held her up, which Hermione didn't find unpleasant at all. 

_*Wow.*_ She thought to him. _*Is this gonna happen every time?*_

Harry was still catching his breath.  _*I don't know.*_ He thought back. _*We could always ask Dumbledor.*_

Hermione looked at him with horror etched on her face, until she noticed the mischievous smile on his lips. _*Harry you prat!*_ she yelled at him as she reached over and smacked his arm. They both began laughing hysterically. 

_*Great Wizards! Look at the time! We're late for class!* _Hermione exclaimed, suddenly leaping out of Harry's arms and rushing to the door. 

Harry, dilly-dallying behind her, stared as she ran off towards Arithmancy in amusement. 

_I Love her.  _He thought to himself. 

_*I Love you too.* _He heard her say. 

She turned around and looked at him, a small, happy smile on her face, then she turned around and went on her way.

****** 


	2. A Day Never to Forget

v v **Chapter 2: A Day Never to Forget **

The next morning in the Great Hall, Ron, unbeknownst to the two young lovers with smug looks of happiness on their faces, kept on staring at them. 

"So Harry, how'd you sleep last night?" Ron asked, trying to mask the mischievous look in his eye with a serious one.

Harry choked on his bacon. "Sleep?"

"Yes, sleep, you know, what you and Hermione do 6 nights out of the week." Ron could hide his laughter no longer. 

"Ron you idiotic git! How long have you known?" Hermione asked him. 

_*Harry, did you tell him?*_

_*Of course I didn't tell him.*_

_*Well, you weren't being careful enough.*_

_ *I was too being careful.*_

_*Then how did he find out?*_

"Hermione, Harry is extremely careful, and no, he did not tell me." 

Harry and Hermione turned to look at Ron with shocked expressions. 

"No I can't read your minds, but as a very wise wizard once told me, it's written all over your faces." 

Ron got up, and sashayed out of the Great Hall, a smug look on his face. 

_*I hate it when he has the last word.*_ Hermione mumbled in her head. 

****** 

"So, Christmas gifts…" Ron began, as he got ready to head down to Hogsmeade for the day.   

After breakfast, the Trio headed back to Gryffindor Tower to get ready for the Hogsmeade weekend. Hermione went off to her dorm room and the two boys came to their own, to find it empty, save Trevor. Christmas Break began next week so everyone was going to Hogsmeade with the purpose of buying Christmas gifts, and unlike Harry, Ron was looking frantic at the thought of buying gifts this year. 

"What do you think I should get Hermione this year?" Ron asked Harry, slightly pink around the ears. 

"I don't know." 

"Well you can bloody read her mind! You should know something!" 

"Get her a book." 

"A book? And I suppose you're gonna get her a book as well?" 

"No, its different now." 

"Different? Different how?"

"I'm her bloody boyfriend now! I can't give her a book!" 

"Right." 

Ron turned to stare at Harry, who was fuming out of his ears. Ron knew Harry didn't like to discuss the nature of his new relationship with Hermione with him. Harry still thought Ron was mad about the whole thing, which was not quite true. 

"Harry." 

Harry turned to look at Ron. 

"You know I'm not mad anymore, don't you?" 

Harry still stood there, staring at Ron.

"I guess I was mad in the beginning because, you know…for the past four years, it seems like you've had everything I couldn't have. First the fame, the money, then you became the youngest Seeker at Hogwarts in a century, then you got even more fame and glory after defeating Voldemort all those times, and then you became Triwizard Champion (Harry winced at this) and this year you became a Prefect and the Captain of the Quidditch Team…and then you took Hermione. Then I realized you didn't take her from me, she was never mine in the first place, and no matter what kind of a relationship you have with Hermione, you two will always be my best friends." 

Harry still stood there, staring at Ron. 

"Are you just gonna stand there, staring at me the whole day?"

And then Ron realized he wasn't string _at_ him, he was staring _past_ him, at Hermione where she stood, at the door. 

Hermione was the first to break the silence. 

"Oh Ron!" Hermione yelled as she flung herself at him. Soon enough, Harry joined this little hug and the three of them stood there like this, for quite some time. 

"Come on you two, let's go." Hermione said as she mussed up their hair and reluctantly broke away from the hug. 

******

"Come on, I wanna buy some more Dungabombs! Please!" Ron whined to his two best friends. The Trio currently sat in a big table at the Three Broomsticks, surrounded by the rest of the Gryffindor 5th years. Harry and Hermione, oblivious to everyone else, where sitting huddled in a corner of the booth sharing a Butterbeer. Finally, Ron got annoyed. 

SMACK! "Ow!" Harry yelled, "Why'd you go and do that for?" 

"I wanna go back to Zonkos and buy some more Dungabombs!" 

"Why did you have to smack me to tell me that?" 

Ron gave him a pointed stare. 

"All right, fine. Hermione, do you wanna come?" 

Hermione stopped listening to their argument, and was currently engaged in a heated conversation herself with Lavender Brown: _Arithmancy versus Divination._

"No, I'll catch up with you later." And she gave Harry a quick, but full, kiss on the lips and turned back to Lavender.   

"Women," mumbled Ron. 

The Duo set out into the blistering cold of Hogsmeade. 

"Hey Harry, I didn't see you get Hermione anything for Christmas." Ron asked Harry as they made their way to Zonkos. 

"I had Sirius get it for me." 

Harry had, in fact, asked Sirius for help on picking out the gift. 

"What do I get her now that she and I are…you know?" He asked Sirus' head that night in the Gryffindor Common Room when he and Sirius had had their weekly hearthside chat. 

"I know what you should give her." 

Sirius told him about something James had given Lily a long time ago, something that was passed down from generations of Potter women. What Sirius was referring to was part of the Potter family treasury, a set of Jewels that included (among many items that were sitting in Harry's vault at Gringotts) a necklace, earrings, and a ring, a ring that the Potter men gave to their beloveds as their engagement ring. Harry got a bit freaked out when Sirius told him this, but Sirius began to laugh and told him that he didn't have to give Hermione the ring yet, maybe the earrings or the necklace would do. Harry decided that he would give Hermione the necklace. When he got the necklace, he was amazed. It was so beautiful. It was gold, and in the center of it there was a diamond, in the shape of a Lily flower. He could picture in his mind the night when his father had given it to his mother. He couldn't wait for Christmas to come so he could give it to Hermione.  

 They were nearing Zonkos when Ron snapped Harry out of his reverie.  

"Look Harry, it's a new store!" Ron pointed out excitedly. "_The Olive Branch_? What would they sell in a store named that? Olive branches?" Ron asked Harry as they were both curiously drawn to it. They entered the store and to Ron's surprise, he realized it was an antique store. 

"An antique store called _The Olive Branch_? That's weird." 

Ron looked about curiously. He saw that at the far left corner of the store, there was a large bookcase filled with books. "I might as well get Hermione's gift." 

He began looking around at the various titles: 

_Circe: A History of a Powerful Witch_ ~by Homer Scriptorius

_Witches are from Erebus Wizards are from Tartarus_ ~by Persephone Regina 

_All the Little Seahorses_~By Poseidon Neptune 

_How to Destroy a Most Annoying Son-In-Law-with Magical Creatures_~by Hera Erua

_How to Trap a Woman Using the Power of the Seasons_~by Hades Rex

_How to Rule the Universe_~by Zeus Jupiterious

_Grindewald: The man behind the Terror_ ~by Adolf Hitler ("Adolf Hitler!"  Harry exclaimed loudly) 

_Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived_~by Rita Skeeter ("Oh My God! I am going to kill her!" Harry yelled again, loudly.) 

"Well, these books seem interesting." Ron muttered. "I think Hermione might like the one by Rita Skeeter." 

"Ron, if you get her that book no one will find your body for years!" 

Ron smiled, until he noticed Harry standing frozen, holding a book in his hand, a look of horror on his face. 

"What is it Harry?"

Harry didn't even speak, he just handed the book to Ron and pointed at it.

"Through Time and Space~by Hermione Potter." 

If it was possible to look more horrified than Harry was a moment ago, Ron surely looked it. 

"Harry, this is just some sort of coincidence, isn't it?" 

Harry was staring at him, a smile beginning to spread over his face. 

"I don't know," he answered. 

"I mean, Potter is a normal name," Ron stammered, "But _Hermione_, how many people do you know named _Hermione_?"  

The Duo dropped the book and continued to browse.   

"I guess I'll just get her this one." Ron picked up the fattest book he could find: 

"The Truth Behind the Gods of Ancient Greece ~by A Lot of Different Authors Whose Names Couldn't Fit On the Cover of This Book."

Ron grinned, "I'm sure this will give her valuable reading time." 

Ron got the book and walked up to the cash register. Harry dawdled behind him. 

"Thank you very much." The salesman told Ron as he handed him the book and his change. Harry noticed the salesman looked very much like Lockhart, but the way Lockhart would look at Ollivander's age. 

Ron put a shrinking charm on it so he could put it in his pocket and keep it a secret from Hermione. 

As they were walking out of the shop, Harry saw the salesman wave to them, and he heard him mumble,  "Nice book you guys got, be careful with it." 

Harry didn't understand what the salesman was trying to say. He did notice, however, that salesman had a weird mark on the palm of his hand. Sort of like a tattoo, of a serpent. For some odd reason this made Harry feel uncomfortable. 

"If you wanna get your Dungabombs, you better hurry up," Harry said, pushing Ron out the door.  "Hermione is getting impatient." 

And indeed she was, if only Harry had stayed to witness what happened after he left.

******

After Hermione turned back to her argument with Lavender. She realized that the entire Gryffindor table was silent, and that they were all staring at her.

"Is something the matter?" She asked the silent group tentatively. 

Seamus was the first to break the silence. "You just kissed Harry." 

Hermione hung her head in defeat. _Oh great! Way to keep a thing secret!_  

Harry and Hermione, even though they now knew Ron finally accepted this, had decided to keep their relationship a secret for fear of the Daily Prophet. 

They had this conversation on their way to Hogsmeade that very day:

_*So…we don't tell anyone?*_

*Nope. Imagine what the press would do? They'd hound us for all eternity! Remember last year, Hermione?*

Hermione did indeed remember lat year. She didn't want a repeat performance. 

 And now this happens. 

"I…we…er…" Hermione attempted to do damage control, but couldn't. 

_Why did we pick a bar full of people to have our first public kiss?_ Hermione thought bitterly.   

But she immediately stopped that trail of thought. They didn't necessarily _choose_ to kiss for the enjoyment of everyone, kissing Harry was something that just came naturally. 

"Harry is my friend." Hermione said dumbly. 

"Friends don't kiss each other the way you two just did." Parvati giggled. 

Soon enough, the entire Gryffindor table erupted in questions: "How long have you been dating?" "Why did you keep this a secret?" "Is Harry a good kisser?" "Are you in love?" "How many children do you want?" "When's the wedding, am I invited?" "Have you thought of names?" 

Hermione could slowly feel herself sink under the table. _I can't believe this_, she thought to herself. _What will Harry say_? 

As the questions continued coming, really absurd ones, ("Does he snore in his sleep?") Hermione felt annoyance rise up within her. _This is ridiculous,_ she thought to herself. She finally could not withstand the ringing in her ears….

"YES!" She yelled out all of a sudden. "YES, Harry is my boyfriend all right? Happy?" 

Hermione watched the stunned, silent table, and looked around the Three Broomsticks to realize that EVERYONE was staring at her. Apparently, she yelled too loud.

At that moment, Harry decided to walk in. 

Harry looked around the room to realize that EVERYONE was glancing from him, to Hermione, and back again. 

_*What happened?*_ He asked her telepathically.

Hermione didn't answer, she just ran to him and hugged him. He hugged her back and silently dragged her out of the room.     

****** 

On their walk back to Hogwarts, Hermione delighted Harry and Ron with what happened in the Three Broomsticks. Hermione expected Harry to be furious, but actually, he was quite the opposite. 

Right after she finished the story, Harry began o laugh.

And it wasn't just a regular laugh, he was really cracking up. 

"Harry, have you gone mad?" Ron asked his best friend, as he slowly watched him fall to the snowy floor in hysterical laughter.

Ron couldn't take it any more, Harry's laughter was contagious. He soon fell with his friend and began rolling around in laughter himself.

Hermione watched them both with a stunned expression, that was, until Harry decided to throw a ball of snow at her.  

"Harold James Potter! You are SO gonna pay for that!" 

Hermione grabbed some snow and made a ball of it, and threw it at Harry, who ducked, and it instead landed on Ron. 

"Hermione you evil…!"

SPLAT!

Harry threw another ball of snow at Ron. 

"Oh all right. So this is WAR!" 

Pretty soon, all three of them began throwing snow at each other, ruthlessly hitting everything and everywhere until all three were soaking wet. 

"Gosh…I haven't laughed so hard in…actually…I don't think I've ever laughed so hard." Harry relied to his two best friends, where they all lay on the snow, panting for breath. 

"I could use a nice cup of hot chocolate right about now." Ron sighed.

"All right you two, we better get going back to the castle." Hermione urged reluctantly.

Harry got up, dusted some snow off himself, and helped Hermione up. 

"Aren't you gonna help me up?" Ron asked with an impish grin, what he got instead where two balls of snow in his face.

"Don't think I'll forget about that." He yelled at them in amusement. 

Slowly, the Trio made their way back to Hogwarts, knowing in their hearts that this would be a day they never forgot.  

*****

A/N: You are going to have to be really patient with me with Chapter 3. I need time to settle my ideas. I have too many! Until then, reviews will help me with my strengths and weaknesses. 


	3. Christmas Days

Disclaimer: Nothing is owned by me. Maybe the necklace, but other than that nothing. 

A/N: Remember, Auror Camp… 

v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes**

Chapter 3: Christmas Days 

"Did you find them?" he asked the short, bald, quivering figure that stood before him. 

"Yes Master. I found all but one." 

"All but one?" The Master spat. "Which three did you find?" 

The servant handed the three books to his Master, but he threw them back before he barely touched them. 

"The fourth! I need the fourth! These three are useless without the fourth!" 

"But Master, we looked everywhere and nobody could find…" 

"If you do not give me the fourth, I shall take your other hand. This time however, I won't replace it! Now get out of my sight!" 

*~*~*~*~*

Harry sat on his bed, lazily watching as his fellow Gryffindors packed their bags for the Christmas Holiday. Dean and Seamus, eyeing each other in secret communication, cleared their throats and interrupted the silence. 

"So, Harry. You and Hermione have Gryffindor Tower all to yourselves for two weeks. Any umm…special plans?"  Seamus nudged Dean and gave Harry a little wink. 

Harry in reply, glared at them both, and was about to do something else before Ron faked a coughing fit. 

*Cough cough cough* "Umm...Harry, I need to speak with you, outside, please." 

Ron grabbed Harry off his bed and pushed him out the door.

"Ok, what do you want?"  Harry asked, trying to get back into the room so he could practice a couple of hexes. 

"I wanted to get you out of the room before you bloody killed Dean and Seamus!" Yelled Ron with an air of frustration mixed with amusement. 

"And your point is…?" 

Ron sighed, "Look lover boy, defending the honor of your lady is normally a respectable thing. But I doubt Hermione will respect you very much if you get yourself expelled!"  

"You're right," Harry agreed, still clearly angry with Dean and Seamus. "Its just that, this is why I wanted to keep it a secret. Now EVERYONE knows and I can't go anywhere with her without someone staring or making a jeering comment or…" 

"And who bloody cares what other people think?" Ron asked, beginning to get peeved on his friends behalf, "They're all a bunch of gits anyway…" 

"You're right. Hey, you're right! I don't think I've ever said that to you before today…" 

Ron playfully punched Harry's shoulders and escorted him back inside. 

Once inside however, the playful air that Harry and Ron had enjoyed a moment ago quickly turned back to the tense state it was before they left the room. Ron was about to ask Harry to step back out again when Harry heard Hermione call him. 

_*Harry, meet me at the rock in 10 minutes.*_

_*Allright,*_ he answered back. 

"Gotta go Ron," Harry informed Ron without elaborating. Of course, Ron knew what he was implying. 

Before he left however, he turned to Dean and Seamus with an icy stare.

To Dean and Seamus, Harry seemed to grow about 10 feet in that one moment, and it soon dawned on them that this boy _had_ defeated the Dark Lord about thrice in his life and managed to escape unscathed once. That, and he had attended _Auror_ camp this summer, so he probably knew more spells and hexes than the average 5th year. They really shouldn't be messing with him… 

"Harry," Dean gulped, "Ssss-sorry about what we said earlier, we-we-we didn't mean anything. Honest!" 

Harry nodded his assent and left the room without replying. 

"Remind me to never tick Harry off," Seamus said, with an earnest look on his face. 

Ron couldn't control his laughter any longer…

*~*~*~*~*~

Harry ran all the way down to the rock. 

She was already there, staring dreamily at the lake. The sky was blue and the day unusually bright because the sun reflected off the snow. 

She sat on the rock as if it were the middle of spring, instead of the middle of winter. She heard his feet crunching the snow and turned around and smiled at him. 

She had such an angelic smile. He couldn't wait to taste it…

As if she could read his mind (which she could, but wasn't really doing so at the moment…) she jumped off the rock and threw herself on him. They toppled to the ground and she sat on his stomach, leaning over, planting small kisses all over his face. 

"Not that I'm not enjoying this, but tell me, why did you call me here?" Harry managed to ask between kisses. 

Hermione suddenly stopped as if awakened from a trance. "I want to make up for the next two weeks." 

Harry stared at her, not really catching what she meant. "Make up…make up for what?"

Hermione groaned. "Harry! We have Gryffindor Tower all to ourselves!"

Harry blinked. "And…."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "And well, the temptation to well…do more than just kiss will be too great! So I have decided that I will not touch you for the next two weeks!" 

Harry gasped in disbelief! _No touching for two weeks,_ talk about an obstacle. 

He could defeat the Dark Lord, he could win the TriWizard tournament, but he didn't think he was capable of keeping his hands off his girlfriend for two whole weeks. 

Harry didn't know whether to be annoyed, or flattered. For one thing, he had envisioned two weeks of privacy with Hermione. Yet, he never really thought of doing _that_ with Hermione, at least not now. Their relationship was too new.

"Hermione, do you really think I would force you to anything like that?" 

"Harry, you don't need to force me. I'd probably jump at the chance!" Hermione, realizing what she had just said, blushed the deepest shade of crimson Harry had ever seen.  

"What I meant to say was, umm…I have no control with you. And I have to always be in control! That is why being with you, alone, is scary to me." Hermione shone her big brown eyes at Harry. Harry couldn't believe he was actually agreeing to this. 

"Come here," he commanded her, and enveloped her into a hug. "Fine, no touching for the next two weeks." 

She grinned at him and gave him a peck on the lips. 

"So, when exactly does this thing start anyway?" Harry asked. 

"Umm...not until everyone leaves." Hermione answered. 

"So we still have time?"  Harry asked, an impish glint in his eyes. 

"Why yes we do. Any ideas as to what we should until then Mr. Potter?" Hermione asked, a teasing air in her voice. 

"Umm…I have a few," Harry answered, as he gave her the fullest kiss he had ever given her. 

_I hope this gets me through the next two weeks_, he thought to himself.  

*~*~*~*~*

Later that day as Harry and Hermione saw off Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors, he couldn't help but feel despondent. 

_Two weeks? How am I going to manage that? _

Soon after, the people that stayed over for Christmas break, who were Harry and Hermione, Susan Bones and Hanna Abbott of Hufflepuff, and four Ravenclaw 3rd years, all went into the Great Hall for Dinner. 

The Great Hall looked beautiful. It was magnificently adorned in red, gold, and green. The light of the floating candles reflected off the Christmas ornaments and the snow covered trees in the corner (real snow) made it look as if you were in a winter wonderland. 

The tables in the Great Hall, as is custom, where pushed aside, and only one stood in the center to accommodate the remaining students and teachers. 

Harry was about to sit down next to Hermione when he remembered the pact, _I might accidentally knock elbows with her or something_, he thought to himself. So he decided to play it safe and sit directly in front of her instead.

Hermione looked shocked at first, but suddenly realized why Harry moved. 

_*This is gonna be hard* _She thought to him. 

_*Tell me about it* _He thought back. 

The hard stuff hadn't happened yet.

That night after dinner, they both walked back to Gryffindor Tower, _together_, and _alone_. They walked about a mile between each other to avoid any sort of contact. They were both quiet, afraid that talking would break their distance. 

Once inside the common room, they both tried hard to not look at each other as they said their brief goodnights…

"Good night Harry."

"Good night Hermione." 

They both ran to their respective dorm rooms and slammed the door shut, breathing a sigh of relief for having survived the day. 

And so it was for the next couple of days. They went out together and played in the snow, they visited Hagrid, and they studied and read, (apparently, having Hermione in his head all the time influenced Harry quite a bit), always making sure to keep their distance from each other for fear of breaking the pact. 

Harry had never wanted Christmas break to end so badly.  

*~*~*~*~*

Christmas morning came, and Harry found himself being awakened by Hermione's soft voice. 

_*Harry, come down to the common room, its Christmas Day!*_

Harry quickly went to his trunk. He took out a bathrobe and Hermione's gift, and ran down the stairs to greet her. 

"Happy Christmas Harry!" She greeted him as he came down the stairs.

"Happy Christmas Hermione!" He was about to hug her when he remembered the pact. _Merlin I hate this_, he thought to himself. 

Hermione was already looking through the pile of gifts. She opened one up from her parents. "Oh…look Harry. Isn't my new watch beautiful?"

Harry examined her new gold watch. He began to feel self-conscious about his gift. 

Hermione opened the gift Ron bought for her. "Oh look at this! Remind me to thank that prat for getting this!" Hermione laughed, delighted with her book from Ron. 

"Here Harry look, Sirius sent you this." Harry opened the small package from Sirius. Inside was an old worn book, on the cover it read Telepathy: How to Deal with It. Harry opened to the first page, on it was the title of the book and under it was scrawled: _This Book Belongs to James Potter_, and written under it in beautiful writing was _And Shared by Lily Evans_, and then, as if an after thought, in far more mature writing_ Potter. _Right under that, Sirius wrote "Make sure you share this as well, Happy Christmas Harry." 

Harry couldn't stop the tears from shinning in his eyes. 

"Harry, what is wrong?" Hermione inquired. She noticed Harry's change in mood. 

Harry snapped out of his reverie. He ran upstairs quickly to get a quill and came back down. He signed his ownership in the book and handed both the book and quill to a flabbergasted Hermione. 

"Harry what is all thi-," she stopped talking mid sentence. She read the inscriptions in the book and felt her eyes shine with tears, sharing Harry's grief. She signed her name in the book and ran to Harry and threw her arms around him. 

"But Hermione, the…" 

"Screw the pact!" Hermione told him. 

He laughed and was silently thankful to the gods for brining her into his life.

"Oh! I haven't given you you're gift!" Harry exclaimed, and quickly ran to the mess on the floor and picked up the small box. He handed it over to Hermione, who peered at him curiously. The box was long and thin, covered in scarlet satin. On the box, there were two letters in gold, _P and G_, interspersed in a beautiful calligraphic engraving. Behind them was a golden lion; together they formed the Potter crest. 

Hermione meticulously opened the box. She gasped at its contents. She had never seen a more beautiful necklace. It was a magnificent gold necklace, and in its center was a diamond, shaped like a Lily.

"Oh Harry…" she had never received a more wonderful gift. "It's…its beautiful! Harry are you sure you want to-,"

"Shhh…," he chastised her gently, "You're beautiful." He cupped her face and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. 

She smiled a serene smile. "Harry, my gift, it isn't so…" 

"It doesn't matter, you are all I need," Harry said, happy that she was happy with his gift.

She threw a blushing smile at him. "Here it is, open it." 

Harry opened his gift. It was a gold bracelet. Engraved on one side where the words _"I Love Thee,"_ and on the other side it said _"Auror Memories to Cherish."_  

Harry chuckled at the thoughtfulness of her gift. 

"Now that I look back, it was at Auror Camp that I began to realize I was in love with you." Hermione said as she slid her arms around Harry's back. 

"It was there for me also," Harry murmured, delighting in the feeling of her arms.  

Harry turned around. "I love you Hermione Granger." He told her as he prepared to kiss her.

Hermione shivered in anticipation, "I love you two."  

*~*~*~*~*~*

Reviews are important. J  


	4. Metamorphosis

Disclaimer: I know it, you know it, the American people know it. I own nothing. Leave me alone. 

**Chapter 4: Metamorphosis **

"So you broke the pact?" Ron asked Harry. They were both in the library, quietly conversing waiting for Hermione to arrive. It was Ron's first day back from Christmas break and Harry was filling Ron in of the events of the past two weeks, well, not _all_ of the events. 

"Yeah, how could we keep it Christmas day?" Harry answered. 

"And what about after that?" Ron asked, curious to know. 

"Well after Christmas we, _she_, decided to go back to the pact. It was hard, but it wasn't as hard because I had the memories of Christmas to keep me going…" Harry broke off with a Cheshire cat grin on his face.  

Ron rolled his eyes. "Where is she anyway? What is taking her so long?"

Harry's brows furrowed. "Right now she is on the corridor leading to the library. She was late getting out of class because she was arguing with Professor Vector about a grade she deemed unfair."

"You know, it's scary how you two can do that…" 

At that moment, Hermione sauntered into the library, a look of triumph on her face. She sashayed over to Harry, sat on his lap, and gave him a big kiss on the lips. 

Harry grinned, "You know, I think you should argue your way into better grades more often, I kinda like the affect it has on you." 

Hermione gave him a playful smack, but before Hermione could give him a witty comeback, Ron interrupted them. 

 "Before you two go back to that nauseating display of affection, may I remind you that we have Transfiguration next and that if we don't hurry up, we will be late." 

Hermione stuck her tongue out at Ron and stood up. "All right all right we're going! When have you ever been in a hurry to get to class before Ron?" she teased. 

Harry burst out laughing and Ron turned slightly pink around the ears. 

"Come on you two," Hermione threw her one arm around each boy, "Let's get to class." 

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Animagii." Professor McGonagall said as she began class. "We have touched upon this particular Wizards skill very lightly, but now, we will go much more in depth." 

With that, Professor McGonagall walked behind her desk, and pulled from a drawer a small round, crystal ball. The base of the crystal ball was silver, shaped into various different animals. "Does anyone know what this is?" she asked. 

As was expected, the only hand that shot up was Hermione's. Everyone else gave each other blank looks. 

"Very well Miss Granger, what is it?" 

Hermione's eyes seemed to light up as they usually did when she was in class. Harry couldn't help but stare at her in awe. 

"That is the _Crystal of Circe_." 

"Correct Ms. Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor. Does anybody know what this stone is used for?" 

_*It determines which wizards have the natural ability of the Animagii.*_ Hermione thought to Harry. 

_*What? You're giving me the answer? Why?*_

Hermione rolled her eyes mentally. 

_*Just answer Potter, honestly.*_

To the surprise of everyone in the class, save Ron, who probably figured out what up, Harry raised his hand. 

"Mr. Potter? Very well. What is the crystal used for?" 

"The crystal is used to determine which wizards have the natural ability of the Animagii."

At this point Harry turned to look at Hermione for approval, which Hermione gave with a bright smile. 

"10 more points to Gryffindor, excellent Mr. Potter. Now then, the Crystal of Circe was made by none other than the great sorceress Circe herself. You see, Circe was gifted with the power to turn others, as well as herself, into animals. Seeing that not many others of the craft were gifted with this natural ability, Circe left a legacy of her talents by brandishing this crystal."

Prof. McGonagall stopped at this point to see which students in her class were still awake. To her great surprise, the majority were.

"You see, most Wizards, after many years of rigorous training, can turn themselves into an animal by using their wand. But, only a select few carry the natural ability within them. They can turn themselves into this particular type of animal without their wand, and without the many years of rigorous training. Very few Wizards are born with this ability. In the history of Hogwarts, only 9 witches and wizards carried this natural ability. The four founders were four of them, I am one of them," and at this moment, she turned to look at Harry, "and the other four shall remain undisclosed." 

Harry's mind reeled. It was obvious that he was thinking of Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs and…Moony? Wait no, Moony wasn't an Animagus, he was bitten by a Werewolf as a child. That only leaves…

_*Its your Mum Harry. She was an Animagus.*_

Harry turned to look at Hermione. 

_*How do you know?*_

Hermione shrugged. _*I don't know. Most logical reason I guess.*_

"Now then. Only Witches and Wizards born with the natural ability have the power to activate the crystal." 

With that, Prof. McGonagall stretched out her bare palm over the Crystal. 

The crystal began to glow a brilliant white color, causing all of the students to cross their arms over their face for fear of being blinded. Soon enough, the blinding white light dimmed to a more bearable radiance. The crystal seemed to elicit a gentle a hum…

Nobody seemed to notice the tight grip Harry and Hermione had on their desks. 

_*Oh Harry, can you feel it?*_

_*You can feel it too Hermione?*_

Prof. McGonagall continued. "If any one in this room were born with the natural ability, the second I activated the crystal, you would have felt a passionate desire to run up and-"

But Prof. McGonagall didn't finish her sentence because at this point, Harry and Hermione jumped out of their desk like insane lunatics, and ran towards the crystal. 

Prof. McGonagall smiled. _This was expected_.  As she thought this, she took out her wand and froze Harry and Hermione in place. 

"I guess these are the only two wizards in this class who are natural Animagii?" 

Seeing that everyone was rooted to their seats, she continued. 

"Very well." 

Prof. McGonagall straightened up and sauntered over to the two frozen figures standing in front of her desk. 

"I'll unfreeze you in a second, but first, let me lecture the class. As I was saying, the second the crystal is activated, Witches and Wizards born with this would feel an intense need to get their hands on the crystal when activated. This is because the gentle humming coming from the crystal is in fact the humming of Circe."

At this the class leaned forward in their seats, trying hard to listen to the humming. 

"As you may very well know, Circe's enchanting song attracted Odysseus' men to her house on the island of Aeaea. And as is quite obvious, her song attracts those worthy of being natural Animagii to her crystal." 

The class stared in awe at and wonder at the frozen duo. _Of course Harry Potter would be worthy,_ thought the class, _but Muggle born Hermione Granger?_  

"The crystal is not prejudiced," Prof. McGonagall continued, "Muggle borns can also have the natural ability." 

The class went wide eyed, but figured that after years of teaching this class, she would know what they were thinking. 

"When the Wizard or Witch finally does get his or her hands on the crystal, it tells you what animal you are destined to be, and you can only be _one_ animal. So who should go first?" 

She eyed the frozen duo curiously. 

"Miss Granger shall go first."

She unfroze Hermione, who immediately ran to the crystal and put her right hand on it.  

The second Hermione touched the crystal, the blinding light that had radiated from the crystal came back, engulfing Hermione. The brilliant light seemed to leave both her and the crystal and form a strange ball of light that floated in front of her, which then shaped itself into something…a bird? 

It was a raven. The incandescent raven figure flew to the frozen Harry and perched itself on his shoulder, nipping his ear affectionately. As if it realized something, the raven flew from Harry's shoulder, and back into the crystal. 

Hermione couldn't hide the glee in her eyes and turned to look at Prof. McGonagall. 

"Miss Granger, it seems that you are a Raven Animagus. Please go back to your seat." 

Hermione was all smiles as she went back to her seat, giving Harry a little wink as she passed him. 

"Your turn Mr. Potter."  Prof. McGonagall said, and unfroze Harry with a flourish. _This should be interesting,_ she thought. And it was. 

As soon as Harry was free from his frozen curse, he ran to the crystal and placed his hands on it. As soon as he touched it, the white light that had appeared before with Hermione returned, only this time it was 10 times more blinding. The light that seemed to swallow Hermione in its radiance, seemed to seep into Harry's being, passing the level that it had reached with Hermione. Just as it had done with Hermione, the ferocious light formed into a luminous cloud, and soon enough, arranged itself into a puzzling shape. 

At first glance it was a lion, big and strong, emitting  a soft roar. Soon enough the lion extended its…_wings? A lion with wings?_ The lion extended its wings and began prowling around. The class crouched in their seats as what they thought a lion passed by them. It stopped in front f Hermione's seat and stared straight at her. Hermione bent over her desk and petted him softly, at which the animal gave a small gentle purr. 

The class, seeing the benevolent nature of the…whatever it was, relaxed in their seats.

Before they could relax too much however, another blinding flash off light exploded from Harry's general direction. 

Prof. McGonagall looked surprised. _Again?_ She thought. 

Sure enough, the all too familiar process re-played itself out. Another cloud of light emerged, and soon enough it took the shape of a snake. _A snake?_ The snake seemed to know exactly where it was going. It headed straight to were the lion figure was, at the foot of Hermione desk, and lunged straight toward it. Soon enough, the lion and snake erupted in a full-blown fight. 

The class stared, thunderstruck from the battling clouds of light, to Harry, and back again. 

Harry was completely bewildered, and figured he should take his hand off the crystal before another animal came to join the party. As soon as he did, the two battling luminous figures stopped fighting and ran back into the crystal ball (the snake slithered). 

Harry looked from his hand to the crystal and back again, while the class looked from Harry, to the crystal, and back again. 

Prof. McGonagall, a small smile on her lips, composed herself and tried to get the attention of her class. 

"That's enough Harry Potter, back to your seat." 

Harry, a puzzled expression on his face, mechanically walked back to his desk next to Hermione. Hermione unconsciously reached over and rubbed his shoulder.  

"It seems Mr. Potter that the rules don't apply to you, again." 

The class, for the billionth time that day, turned to stare at Harry, who had a slight blush on his cheeks. 

"For one thing, you are only allowed the ability to transform into _one_ animal. Mr. Potter, it seems you have the special bonus of another one." 

Hermione raised her hand to ask a question. "Professor, the first animal, it looked like a lion, but it had wings, is it a Gold-?"

"A Golden Gryffin? Yes it is. Very well noted Miss Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor. Only one other wizard has ever had the ability to transform into a Golden Gryffin, and that was Godric Gryffindor himself." 

The class, even though they were shaking to turn to look at Harry, fidgeted in their seats to avoid it. 

"And if I am correct, which I usually am, the snake Mr. Potter has the ability to transform himself into is a Basilisk." 

This time the class didn't care what they did and whipped around to look at Harry who looked as if he had just played Quidditch inside a volcanic mountain. He was a deep shade of red and looked as if he was about to faint, or puke, or both, at any second. 

Hermione immediately _felt_ his dispair and asked Prof. McGonagall if she could accompany him to the infirmary. 

"Go on ahead you two, but I wish to see you later in the day." 

Harry rushed out of the room, Hermione right behind him. 

"Harry, are you all right? How are you? Talk to me."

Harry kept on walking ahead, not looking at her. 

_*You know I can read your mind if I wanted to.*_

Harry sighed and turned to look at her. "I don't want to hurt you." 

As soon as he said this he kept on walking straight ahead, not even going in the direction of the infirmary but quite the opposite. He was walking towards the rock on the lake. 

Hermione continued to walk behind him, confused as to what he had just told her. 

"Hurt me? How can you hurt me?" 

Harry refrained from answering her question. They finally reached the rock and he sat down on it, leaving a little space for her to sit down next to him. She sat down and put her head on his shoulder. 

"Harry talk to me." 

He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her sweet scent. _Vanilla_. 

"Hermione, the hat wanted to place me in Slytherin." 

Hermione sat up, a curious look in her eye. "In Slytherin?"

Harry nodded. "Yes in Slytherin, and I lived with that doubt all through second year, it got worse with the whole Chamber thing, but my doubts were quailed when I got Gryffindor's sword and I had that talk with Dumbledor after the whole ordeal. But now they're back again. What if I do belong in Slytherin? Some of Voldemort is inside me, it is evident in my ability to speak in Parseltongue, and now I am a Basilisk Animagus, an animal that attacked _you_. What if I am evil?" 

Hermione had to restrain herself from smacking him. "Harry, you are forgetting one important fact. You are also a Golden Gryffin Animagus, and you _were_ put in Gryffindor.  Not in Slytherin. The stupid hat wanted to put me in Ravenclaw, and I am a Raven Animagus, and I'm not whining about it. You are a Gryffindor Harold James Potter, be satisfied!" 

Harry couldn't help but grin at her. He was so glad to have her, someone who could talk sense into his mind while he was on one of those, _"Oh wow is me and my destiny,"_ mind trips. 

"And as for attacking me Harry Potter, you are welcomed to do it, any time." 

Harry raised his eyebrows at the suggestiveness in her voice, and prepared himself to do just that… 


	5. The Secret Room

v v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes**

Chapter 5: The Secret Room 

He was scared. He could feel the fear rising within him the way lava rises up a volcano as it is about to explode. His breath came out in short, uneven rasps, and his stomach was quivering as if a great battle was being fought inside it. 

As he got nearer and nearer to his master's den, he feebly tried to pluck the courage from within. He was once, after all, a Gryffindor… 

Yet how would his master take it? How will he react when he finds out that _the boy_ already had it? That the one person he so loathed, was in possession of the one thing that kept him from the immortality he so selfishly sought?

He knew it wasn't his fault; he tried his hardest to find all Four Noble Books.

 He lied to people, stole from people, he tortured people, and he even _killed_ people.

Yet only three were found. 

He came once before to his master in agony, and told him of his failure, and he was severely punished for it. Now to come again, with this most horrendous news… 

He sighed before entering the chamber. For in it the most inevitable fate awaited him…

******

It was lovely, watching her. She sat there, at a table in a quiet corner of the library hidden by bookshelves where she was sure no one could see her, her nose stuck in a book. The sun poured over her through the window, and she looked almost glorious in her setting. For it was her setting, the library. She was the goddess of the books and the halo of light surrounding her proved her to be so. 

Harry silently watched her from behind a bookshelf. He saw her turn a page gently, and he saw a long, thick, gorgeous curl fall into her face. Harry grinned, "_Shortly, she'll begin twirling it," _he thought to himself. 

Soon enough Hermione lifted the curl from off her face and began to twirl it around her fingers, her attention never once leaving the book. 

_"Now she'll braid her hair_," thought Harry, his grin getting wider. 

Sure enough, her gaze still on her book, Hermione parted her hair in half, and began to skillfully braid half of it. Harry watched her delicate fingers work in silent contemplation. She then grabbed the other half of her hair, and braided that, so that she ended up with braids similar to Judy Garland's in _The Wizard of Oz. _

_"Next, she'll unbraid her hair and repeat the process over again." _

Hermione then preceded to unbraid her braids, never losing focus of her book. She then turned the page and relaxed for a bit, and only for a bit, for the self-same curl that plagues all bushy haired girls whilst they read came back down over her face, hindering her view of the book in focus. Slowly, her hand came back up, and she began to softly twirl it again. 

Harry couldn't take any more of this torture. As much as he loved watching her, he needed to get his hands in her hair. So he swiftly, and quietly, walked out from among the bookshelves where he had been watching her a minute ago, and stepped right behind her. 

Hermione sensed his presence behind her, but she somehow knew he didn't want her to turn around and greet him. Some innate ability to read each other's minds, even when they weren't _literally_ reading each other's minds, told her to stay put. 

She suddenly felt Harry's hands in her hair. She felt Harry calmly run his hands through her tangled curls. 

She immediately felt that feeling, that weird but lovely sensation only Harry seemed to spark within her. It started in her stomach until she felt it all over, that spark, that electricity that can only be compared to the meeting of two atoms; only Harry's touch seemed to provoke it. 

She then felt Harry go down on his knees next to her, where he preceded to smell her hair. 

Hermione didn't know which was better, Harry's hands gently playing with her hair, or the feel of Harry's face in her hair, his warm breath on her neck. 

His breath on her skin was the most exquisite feeling ever known to her. She felt the aura of static electricity surrounding her and Harry almost triple. It took a tremendous amount of will power to keep her hands off him, for every fiber of her skin screamed at her to turn around and snog him senseless. 

But she remained calm, and allowed the bittersweet torture to continue. She felt Harry grab some of her hair in his hands, and gently push it away to reveal her neck. She knew what he was going to do and she gripped her chair in anticipation.

The first touch of Harry's lips on her neck nearly drove her batty. 

She relaxed in her chair, feeling a bit faint and heady, intoxicated with the feel of Harry, yet she also felt her pulse speed up ten times faster, and she felt a great need to turn around and tackle him. 

She was going mad. 

But she wasn't as mad as when she felt Harry's mouth open, and his warm tongue on her neck. That nearly did her in. She needed to get out of her chair and on top of Harry. IMMEDIATELY!

Harry, knowing she would react like this, wrapped his arms around her to keep her in place. Hermione whimpered and squirmed in delight and in protest, as Harry devoured her neck.   

Presently, Hermione gave out a loud, ecstatic moan, which brought the attention of Madame Pince upon the two lustful teenagers. 

"Do you two mind?" Madame Pince interrupted as she burst on them from between the bookshelves. 

Harry stood up immediately and stepped away from Hermione. 

"We, er…we were just…" 

"Oh enough! This is the first and last time I hope to find such a display, from prefects no less, now off you two!"

Hermione blushed as she checked out her books, feeling relieved that Madame Pince didn't give them detention or take away points, annoyed at being interrupted at such a pleasant moment, and still tingling from Harry's touch. 

As soon as they were out of the library, Hermione turned on Harry and smacked him. 

Harry laughed. "Hey what was that for?" 

"Are you insane?" Hermione chastised, "We could have gotten in loads of trouble…." 

"But we didn't." 

"But we could have."

"Darling relax," Harry said, eyes shining, "You seemed like you rather enjoyed it."

Hermione smacked Harry again, and Harry grabbed her and kissed her cheek. 

"I know you love me," Harry whispered in her ear as he grinned cheekily.

Hermione rolled her eyes but didn't deny it, "I know I do. Doesn't stop me from wanting to kill you sometimes however…" 

At this Harry laughed and walked away from her, blowing her kisses. 

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Called Hermione to him. 

"Quidditch practice," he said as he trotted off. 

_*Make sure you're not late to McGonagall's again*_ Hermione thought to him.

_*I won't be.*_

Harry continued to walk briskly toward the Quidditch pitch, hoping that the faster he did things the sooner it would be time to see Prof. McGonagall. He loved going to his Animagus classes. He had advanced quite remarkably since his first lesson 2 months earlier. 

Harry and Hermione had been attending Animagus lessons with McGonagall 3 nights a week. 

At first McGonagall thought that they should only meet 2 nights a week, but her two pupils seemed to be getting on so quickly and so easily that she asked Dumbledore if she could accelerate their advancement to 3 nights a week. Dumbledore readily approved, and soon enough, Harry found that he could easily manage to transform himself into a Golden Gryffin. 

Harry relished his state as a Golden Gryffin. He was so enthusiastic about it that he found himself practicing for hours by himself, without alerting anyone else. McGonagall was shocked when Harry managed to transform himself COMPLETELY into a Golden Gryffin a month into his lessons (maintaining the transformation turned out to be a bit trickier, but upon further practice Harry managed to STAY a Golden Gryffin for decent period of time). 

The Basilisk was an ENTIRELY different matter.  

Harry could not, for the life of him, transform into a Basilisk. Besides the lessons with McGonagall, he practiced his Basilisk transformation alone, but to no avail. 

Harry didn't understand why he couldn't do it! Becoming a Golden Gryffin was amazing to him, he felt that he was born to be a one. Transforming into a Golden Gryffin was like second nature to him. He didn't have to think about it, (at first he did though) it was like coming into your second skin. 

Hermione told him that maybe he was psychologically fighting against transforming into a Basilisk.

 According to what she read in one of her many books, (The Psychology of Animal Transformations by Professor Diggory Kirke)  Hermione thinks that Harry attributes snakes with evil, and he himself is fighting with evil constantly, whether it be physically present (in Voldemort) or mentally (his connection with Voldemort), so in refusing to become a Basilisk, he is refusing to succumb to evil. 

Harry at first thought this theory ridiculous, but the more and more he failed at becoming a Basilisk and the more and more frustrated he became, the more and more he began to believe the theory true, and the more and more he wanted to overcome it.  

******

_*Harry, you promised you wouldn't be late!*_ Hermione thought to him frantically. This was the 5th time he was late to one of the Animagus lessons, and McGonagall already had her lips pursed in a thin, grim line.

_*I'm on my way already, I just have to find the bloody room!*_

Harry turned a corner and tried to decide in which hall the secret room would be in tonight. 

On Tuesdays and Thursdays the secret room is usually found on the left side in the 4th hall to the right. But on Wednesdays it is situated on the right side of the 3rd hall to the left. The problem now was to remember which day it was. 

_*Hermione, what's the date?*_ Harry thought to his girlfriend. 

_*Its Thursday Harry, honestly.* _

Harry could _feel_ her roll her big brown eyes at him, and he smiled. 

Harry made a sudden right turn and walked to the 7th door on his left side. 

"You are late, Harry Potter." McGonagall informed him coolly as he entered the room. Hermione was standing behind the chair McGonagall sat in, eyeing him with sympathy.  

"Sorry Professor, but Quidditch practice ran late and…" 

"No excuses, begin immediately."

Harry sighed and walked around the room. He needed to get a feel of his surroundings in order to transform.

The first time he entered the "secret room," as he and Hermione dubbed it, he found that he rather liked it. 

It was a long room with a high ceiling, a fire burned in the center of the wall facing the entrance door.

Most Hogwarts' hearths look cheerful and pleasant, but the fire in this room added even more mystery to the room, for mysterious it was. Aside from the fact that it was hard to find, it was unlike any other room in Hogwarts. What made it so different? Well, it was completely barren! Most other rooms in Hogwarts were warm and inviting, with color thrown about everywhere. 

The floor in this room, however, was wooden with no carpet, and there wasn't any furniture at all in the room except for a big plush red velvet chair which McGonagall sat in, and an old wooden wardrobe that stood inconspicuously in a corner.The only decoration in this room was on the walls. (Aside from the drapes that matched McGonagall's chair) 

Four banners hung above the fire, each devoted to one of the four houses.

"Stop dawdling Potter, you should now be at the stage where you don't need to get a feel for your surroundings, your transformation should be instantaneous." 

"Oh, am I to turn into a Golden Gryffin then?" (Harry had thought he was to practice transforming into a Basilisk).

"Well, one more time wouldn't hurt you would it?"   

 Harry sighed again, it was his own fault for being late; he knew she would get like this. 

He turned to look at Hermione who gave him an encouraging smile. Then he  turned to look at the fire and felt the transformation come upon him.

It started at his feet; he felt his feet grow larger and furry, followed by his legs. He soon felt his hands grow into paws as well, and his limbs grow longer and furry. Then he got down on all fours and he felt his hair grow longer and into an orangey mane. Soon enough a lion stood were Harry used to stand, a big golden lion, beautiful too look at. 

The lion had green eyes, and above it's right eye, you could distinctly see a mark in the shape of a lightening bolt. 

Then came the worst past, and the best part. Harry still felt pain at this part. In the beginning, before Harry became adept at transforming, he felt pain, of the most excruciating sort, all over his body, as he transformed into a Golden Gryffin, and for hours afterward. But as he continued to practice the pain lessened, (either that or his tolerance increased). The one part of his transformation that still hurt him, however, though it was only a bit, was when he sprouted wings. 

At this point, wings, like angel wings, began to grow out of the lion. The transformation was complete. The lion was not a lion anymore, it was a Golden Gryffin. 

Hermione couldn't resist the urge to go over and pet the Golden Gryffin, (it was so cute!) but McGonagall cut the cuddle session short. 

"Potter, I want you to fly." 

Hermione turned and gave McGonagall a queer look. "Fly? But Professor, do you think he is ready to…"

But before Hermione had finished, the Golden Gryffin had tackled her to the ground and looked into he eyes steadily. 

_*Hermione, don't talk her out of it, I think I'm ready to fly.*_

*But Harry what if something happens to you? I don't want you to break another bone or DIE or…*

_*Shh…I'll be fine. I know I can do it. Trust me ok?*_

The Golden Gryffin gave Hermione a reassuring lick and turned to McGonagall with an intense look in its eyes. 

McGonagall nodded, and the Golden Gryffin took off. 

It was a wonder to look at! Hermione couldn't take her eyes off of it as it soared around the large room (the ceiling seemed to be higher than she remembered, but of course she attributed that to McGonagall). The animal looked majestic as it flapped its wings and flew flew around and around.

Harry was relishing this just as much as Hermione was. He couldn't believe the freedom, and the pleasure he got from being in the air. The high from flying as a Golden Gryffin was completely different from the one he got on a broom. Quidditch is a game of adrenaline, the rush you get, the fast beat of your pulse, the flush in your cheek, all come from the air of competition and fast flight, and the danger of the game. 

Flying as a Golden Gryffin was…well…it was peace, and happiness, and HOME. He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, to roar in ecstasy or just let the feeling of harmony overcome him.

He wished he could fly forever, but he soon felt his wings ache and his body grow tired. He landed expertly and immediately felt his animagus form disappear, and he became Harry again. 

Hermione rushed to hug him in delight, but as she wrapped her arms around him she immediately felt the pain he was in.

"Professor, I don't think Harry will be able to continue tonight." Hermione told McGonagall as she helped him up. 

"Fair enough Ms. Granger, I expect you will stay and continue the lesson?" 

Hermione bit her lip and looked at Harry. 

_*Harry, do you want me to-*_

_*Stay.*_

_*But-*_

_*Stay. I'll be fine. I'm a big boy. I can find my way back to the common room. And if not, I know I can at least invade your mind and ask for directions.*_

Hermione gave him a weak grin. 

_*Go and get some rest.*_

_*Yes mum,*_ Harry thought to her on his way out. 

Hermione smacked him mentally. 

_*Ouch!*_

_*That is what you get for your cheek Harry Potter.*_

Hermione faintly heard Harry mutter, "_Women_," as he closed the door behind him. 

"Now Ms. Granger, on with your lesson," McGonagall urged Hermione.  

Hermione took a deep breath and began to concentrate. Turning into a Raven wasn't quite as easy for her as it had been for Harry to turn into a Golden Gryffin. Hermione had mastered turning _into_ one, but she had yet to be able to keep her Raven form for more than a few minutes. And whenever she did turn into one, it still hurt her dreadfully, and she would ache for hours afterwards. 

Hermione suddenly felt herself shrink in size, and she felt herself grow feathers, brown feathers, and a beak and claws. Soon she found herself a Raven, a beautiful brown Raven. 

The Raven stood stock still, finding it very hard to maintain itself as a Raven, due to all the pain. But the longer it stood, the Raven found the pain lessening, and lessening.

Hermione found herself breaking her own record, and maintaining her Raven form longer than usual. She was beginning to feel excited. The pain had grown steadily less, and she slowly found the courage to spread her wings. 

This brought out a sharp pain, but Hermione was determined to overcome it. She spread her wings even further and kept them spread, knowing that the more she got accustomed to it, the less it would hurt. 

After what seemed like hours as a Raven, the pain suddenly stopped, as if all along it was only a balloon of pain within her, and somebody came with a pin and popped it. As soon as the pain stopped however, she felt herself grow thoroughly exhausted, and she felt herself slowly transforming back into her human form.  

"Hermione," McGonagall started, "Well done. You did very good tonight, I am very impressed." 

Hermione smiled faintly, but her eyes shone with satisfaction. "Thank you professor," Hermione finished meekly. 

"Now Ms. Granger, I suggest you go to your room and rest. Surely this exertion  must have tired you out."

Hermione nodded in agreement, said her goodnight to McGonagall, and quickly left the room. 

When she finally got to the common room, she felt like she was going to faint. She whispered the password to the fat lady, ( "Aslan's teeth!") and stumbled into an empty common room. She collapsed into the first couch she saw, only she hadn't realized the couch was occupied. 

"Oof!" Harry yelled, and Hermione quickly jumped off of him. 

"Oh I'm so sorr-" Hermione started, when she realized it was Harry. "What are you doing out of bed?" Hermione inquired. "You should be getting your rest!" 

"Well, I did rest for a while, then I got hungry and remembered it was dinnertime, and I figured I'd see you down at dinner, but when I got down you weren't there, so I figured you'd be hungry when you got back and I brought up some dinner for you."

Hermione, who was ready to be mad at him for not resting, suddenly felt that little flutter in her stomach and immediately forgot all her aches and pains. 

"Harry, that is so thoughtful of you." She purred, as she bent down to give him a sweet kiss on his cheek. The warmth began to spread to her toes and she again was amazed at the wonder that was Harry Potter.

"Are you hungry?" he asked her as he brought out a piece of cauldron cake, a flask of pumpkin juice, and half an eggplant sandwich (Hermione's favorite). 

When she saw the food, Hermione couldn't ignore the sudden rumble in her stomach and began to devour the food Harry brought her. 

"I can't believe I missed dinner, how long did I take in there anyways?" Hermione mused between bites of her food.   

"Well over two hours." Harry answered as he watched her eat. 

"No wonder I feel so tired." 

When Hermione finished she gave a satisfied sigh and got up to go to her room. 

"Bugger! I don't think I can make it up those stairs," Hermione grumbled in dismay as she saw the flight of stairs that led to her dormitory. 

"Well than, stay and rest awhile," Harry urged her, as he made room for her to sit next to him on the big comfy couch. 

Hermione decided that that was what she wanted to do, so she sat down next to Harry, but ended up lying down and placing her head on Harry's lap. 

"Only for a bit," Hermione mumbled sleepily. She slowly, but surely, fell asleep.

Harry heard her snoring softly and chuckled lightly to himself. He gently eased out from under her and got up. He carefully picked her up, and slowly carried her up to her room and laid her down in her bed. 

Before leaving he planted a tender kiss on her forehead, "Goodnight my love," he whispered softly in her ear.  

"Mmm…Harry…" she mumbled in reply. 

Harry grinned and quietly crept back to his room.

******


	6. Disappearances

v v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes**

Chapter 6: Disappearances 

It was a really strange spring day at Hogwarts. It was a Saturday, the sun was out, the sky was blue, the birds were singing. It was a perfect day to be out and about frolicking with your friends, enjoying nature's beauty. So why were all the students lounging about _inside_ the castle?  

"Can't stand the bloody wind." Ron shivered. He leaned a bit closer to the warm fire as he beat Seamus at chess for the third time in a row. 

It seemed like the entire Gryffindor house decided to crowd into the common room that day. Fred, George, and Lee were currently chatting with Angelina, Katie and Alicia. Lavender, Parvati, and a bunch of other Gryffindor girls, of all years, were huddled together, giggling, and giving Harry quiet glances. A cluster of Gryffindor boys were sitting together, watching as a couple of second years challenged a couple of third years to a few rounds of Exploding Snap. Hermione was sitting at a desk by the window, reading a book, and Harry was sitting in a big plushy chair by the fire, reading a book as well. 

"Well I heard two Hufflepuffs went out this morning and got blown into a tree. They're still stuck up there I believe," Dean added. He was quietly watching the game, having already been beaten by Ron twice.

"That's it! I don't want to play anymore. I know I'm never going to beat you anyway!" Seamus grumbled as he stood up and stretched his limbs. 

Ron looked around the crowded common room, desperate to find someone who would play chess with him. 

"Harry, care to help a chap with a game of chess?" Ron asked jovially. 

"Sorry Ron, but this is so interesting! I can't possibly put it down." Harry answered, as he turned a page of his book. 

Ron got up and snatched the book away from Harry. When he read the title, he made a face that resembled the one he made that one time he bit into a horseradish flavored Bertie Botts Every Flavored Bean.

"You are reading Hogwarts, A History? Honestly Harry, what has _she_ done to you?!"

Harry turned slightly pink around the ears, gave Hermione a quick glance, and  snatched the book back. 

"She hasn't done anything to me, I just discovered I like to read, that's all." 

Ron rolled his eyes at that statement. "Yeah, and I am the Tisroc of Calormen." 

Harry decided to ignore that last comment and went back to his book.  Ron decided to go bug Hermione. He silently went up to her table, grabbed a chair, sat right across from her, and began to stare at her. He knew she would get annoyed any minute now…. 

"Ron, do you want something?" Hermione asked.    

"No, nothing." Ron mumbled, not losing his focus on Hermione. 

Hermione gave him a queer look, then turned back to her book. 

After a few minutes of this staring game continued, Hermione began to feel really annoyed with Ron. He was just sitting there, staring at her. But she knew what he wanted, she knew that he wanted to go get her mad, so she kept her calm and continued to ignore him. 

Hermione coolly turned a page and glanced up quickly at Ron. He was still staring. 

She tried to give all her attention to her book, but to no avail. _"He is so irritating!"_  She thought to herself. 

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and she threw her book at Ron. 

"Hey!" He yelped. "What'd you do that for?" 

"Ronald Weasley would you kindly leave me alone so I can concentrate on my book!" Hermione yelled at him. She was completely exasperated by now. 

"Come on Herm, I was only playing." Ron said as he massaged the side of his head. 

Hermione could only give him an aggravated stare. 

"What are you reading anyway?" Ron asked between bites. He had opened a box of chocolate frogs and he was currently eating one. 

"Don't be silly Ron, it's the book you gave me for Christmas. Honestly." Hermione muttered; she was clearly still angry at him. 

"No it isn't." Ron said. He sat up straight and grabbed the book from Hermione. "Hermione, this isn't the book I gave you." 

"Of course it is you silly git!" Hermione exclaimed. "Look at the title."

Ron looked at the title of the book in his hand. "The Truth Behind the Gods of Ancient Greece ~by A Lot of Different Authors Whose Names Couldn't Fit On the Cover of This Book." Ron read aloud. "So it is the book I got you…" 

Ron furrowed his eyebrows. "But the book I got you didn't look like that. This looks like a Muggle book." 

Ron looked at the cover at the book. It was yellow, and there was a picture of a snake on it. The snake was pictured under a tree, and olive tree. The book looked like an ordinary Muggle book. He browsed through the pages of the book.; the pictures in it didn't move. 

"Hermione, are you sure this isn't one of the books you brought back from home and it happens to have the same title as the one I got for you? The book I got you didn't look like this at all. The book I got you was big and brown, and old looking. I did buy it at an antique store you know, in Hogsmeade of all places, and it was clearly a magical book. When I looked through it the pictures moved and everything." 

Hermione looked confused for a moment. "But when I opened your package, I got this book. And what do you mean it isn't magical? It clearly is magical, well, appearance aside-"

"Magical? What are you talking about? The pictures don't move Hermione! Its obviously Muggle…"

"Look! It's Magical ok! Read it!"

Ron cleared his throat and began to read: 

_"Ancient Greece, the land of many gods. But were they really gods? Of course not! Muggles of that day mistook witches and wizards like you and me for gods because of the great power they had over them, so…"_

Ron smacked the book shut. "Apparently, it is magical. But that just doesn't make any sense! The pic-"

"Besides, if the book wasn't magical I would have finished reading it by now." Hermione explained haughtily. 

"What are you talking about?" 

Hermione, sensing that this was something she didn't want the whole common room to hear, lowered her voice a bit. 

"Look, the more of the book I read, the more there is to read. It's like a never-ending book! I'm telling you, there are pages now that weren't there when I first began reading it. So it clearly must be Magical."

Ron scratched his head. This was clearly too confusing. "Nevertheless," he said, "Magical, Muggle, or Narnian! I did not get you that book! I know I didn't, ask Harry, he was there when I bought it." Ron crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. 

"Yes, Harry will know," Hermione agreed, "He was there when I opened my gifts." 

Hermione beckoned Harry over and Harry, rather reluctantly, put his book down and sauntered over to them. 

"Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Harry, tell Hermione that that isn't the book I got her for Christmas." 

Harry peered down at the book lying on the table.  

"This isn't the book Ron got you for Christmas, Hermione." Harry said matter of factly. 

Hermione looked up sharply. "Harry you were there when I got it on Christmas day, of course it is." 

"No it isn't, I was there when he bought it." 

"But it is! I mean it can't…what?" Hermione tumbled out, slightly bewildered. "Well, maybe you were too busy opening your gifts to notice the one Ron gave me." 

Harry nodded. "But I do know that when we were in the shop, Ron bought you this big, brown, leathery book, I remember it was the biggest one he could find."

At this point Harry reached down and picked the book up and immediately something strange happened. A low, quiet, silver light seemed to emanate from the book. Then the book began to grow, and thicken. Its color changed, instead of yellow the cover was brown, made of leather. What were once pictures on the cover of the book became silver engravings, and the pictures inside became still engravings as well. The title of the book, was no longer in English. It was in a language none of them recognized. 

"Well, now it looks like the book I bought you," Ron gulped. "Well, except for the obvious fact that it changed languages." 

The trio turned to peer around the room, expecting to see the room in an uproar over the weird light that came from the book, but nobody seemed to notice. 

The trio turned back to the book. "Shall we look inside?" Hermione asked. 

Harry nodded. He was about to open the book when suddenly, the snake on the cover spoke to him.

_"Favored son, you have been chosen,"_ it said to him. 

Harry blinked several times. Did the snake just SPEAK to him? Indeed it did. It even began coiling itself slowly around the Olive Tree.  

_"Favored son,"_ it repeated. _"You bear the Mark of the Serpent. Awaken it, and you shall be saved."  _

With that, the serpent stopped moving and went quiet. Harry put the book down, and turned to his friends. 

"Harry, what did the snake just hiss at you?" Ron asked. 

"It told Harry he bears the Mark of the Serpent. I wonder what he meant." Hermione mused aloud. She was beginning to get that look in her eye, that look she got whenever a big task or assignment was put before her. 

Harry and Ron just stared at Hermione, a look of wonder in their faces. 

"You understood the hissing?" Ron asked. 

"Hissing? What hissing? I didn't hear any hissing." Hermione said. She was beginning to get a strange feeling in her stomach…

"Hermione, the serpent spoke to Harry in Parseltongue." 

"Did you understand it?" Harry asked. 

Hermione nodded. "It's the telepathy isn't it?"

 "I believe it is." 

"Still, what did the snake mean?"

"Well what exactly did it say?" Ron asked. 

"It said 'Favored son. You bear the Mark of the Serpent. Awaken it, and you shall be saved.' " Harry recited. He had a grim expression on his face, and his eyes looked angry, and sad, and forlorn, and desperate all at once. Ron couldn't take his eyes off of them. He knew something…

"Harry, do you know what it was talking about?" 

"Yes, Ron. I think it was referring to Transfiguration." 

"You mean your ability to turn yourself into a Basilisk?" Hermione asked. 

Harry nodded. "An ability I have yet to master." 

"But what about 'being saved'? Saved from what?" Ron chimed in. 

"I don't know," Harry said, "that's what we have to find out." 

Harry then picked up the book and began browsing through it. 

"I can't read anything," Harry said. The more he turned the pages the more frustrated he seemed to get. 

Hermione retched the book away from Harry and began studying the writing more closely. 

"Harry, I think this is Greek."

Harry nodded in agreement. For some odd reason, this didn't surprise him. 

"Well the book is about the Greeks," Ron said as he studied the book. 

Suddenly the window they were standing in front of opened, and a gust of strong wind came into the room. It hit the trio directly, throwing the book out of their hands and across the room. 

"Harry the book!" Hermione yelled. For some odd reason, they began to get really protective of that book, as if the magic of the book was working itself into their very beings. 

Harry raced across the room to get the book. He didn't want anyone else to place their hands on it. By the time he got to the book, it was thrown open on the floor, right in front of the fire. Harry nearly had a heart attack. 

He bent down to pick the book up, when he noticed something sticking out of it. It was a small, blank, loose piece of paper, old and yellowish looking. It was about a quarter of the size that a legal sheet of paper would be, and some of the edges looked jagged, as if they were torn. Harry picked it up and immediately writing began to appear on it. 

Harry grabbed the book and paper, ran back to his friends, grabbed Hermione and motioned Ron to follow, and dragged them out of the common room. 

The rest of the Gryffindors, who had watched this mad scene of Harry flying after the book in curiosity, shook their heads in silent laughter as the trio dashed out of the room in a flurry. 

"Well it seems something is up with those three again," Fred called out. 

******

Harry silent led Hermione and Ron through the halls of Hogwarts. They eventually found themselves in the library. Thankfully, it was deserted, but Harry still took them to the most secluded table. Hermione blushed as she remembered what happened at this very same table a week before, but quickly took the memory out of her mind as she saw the serious look on Harry's face. 

"Harry, why on earth did you drag us down to the _library_?" Ron scoffed as he sat down. 

"I don't know," Harry said. He seemed as if he was asking himself that very same question. "All I know is that I needed to get the book out of the common room, out of the way of prying eyes."

Hermione nodded. "I felt that also," she said. "Maybe I was getting it from you." 

Harry got up and began to pace around the table. "Look at the paper I found," Harry commanded Hermione.

Hermione got the paper and began to examine it carefully. On one side there was writing on it, in a language she presumed was Greek. On the other side it seemed to be a map, but since the paper was so small, and the edges torn, she figured it was only a piece of a map. The only body of land recognizable on the paper was a small island. 

"A map," Hermione muttered under her breath. 

Harry continued to silently pace the table, his brow furrowed and his hand under his chin. 

"Allright enough!" Ron exclaimed as he grabbed Harry and sat him down. "You're making me nervous." 

Harry sighed and twiddled his thumbs. "I don't know why but that map, and that book, are making me anxious." 

"Maybe Voldemort sent you that book," Ron said. "Maybe he sent it to drive you mad!" 

Harry stopped twiddling his thumbs, glared at Ron, then continued twiddling. Ron shrunk into his seat. 

"Listen you two, I think we're going to need to go to the store where you bought the book. You said you bought it in Hogsmeade no?"  Hermione interrupted, she saw Harry was getting a little tense. 

Harry nodded. "There was a man there, he, he had a mark on the palm of his hand. It looked like a snake," He didn't know why, but the memory of the man made him squeamish. "He… said something, when we bought the book." 

Hermione got up from her seat and kneeled beside Harry. She could _feel_ Harry's anxiety. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "What did he say, Harry?" 

Harry remembered there was something disconcerting about the man, or maybe what he said was disconcerting. "He…he told us to be careful with it. He said, 'Nice book you guys got there, be careful with it.' Whoever that man was he knows, he knows the truth about this book, whatever it is." 

Hermione straightened up. "We'll go to the shop the next Hogsmeade weekend, we-"

"No," Harry stood up as he said this, "we are going today."

Hermione looked as Harry as if he just said he was leaving the wizarding world forever to join a traveling circus. 

"Harry, are you insane? Have you seen the wind? Besides, do you think we can just waltz out of Hogwarts without permission? And-"

"Hermione, I have an invisibility cloak, and the Marauder's Map, remember? We'll get to Hogsmeade through Hogwarts using the secret passage by the statue of the one eyed witch I used in 3rd year, the passage that leads directly into the cellar of Honeydukes. Honeydukes is right next door to the store we bought the book at, so we needn't be out in the wind for long. " Harry had a weird gleam in his eye and he got up and began pacing again. "It will work perfectly." 

He stopped pacing and looked at his two friends. "You don't have to come of course, if you don't want too. I don't need all three of us to get in trouble if we're caught." 

"Harry, of course we'll come," Hermione said. "I'd be worried sick! Besides, if anything happened I'd-"

"Nothing is going to happen Hermione," Harry said. He slowly walked up to her and put his arms around her. "We've done worse before." 

"Nevertheless, we're going," Ron interrupted. "Let's hurry so we can be back before  dinner."   

Harry told his friends he'd come right back. He quickly needed to run back and get his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map. He ran all the way to the fat lady, said the password, rushed into the common room like a madman, ran all the way upstairs into his room, rummaged through his trunk until he found it, then dashed right back down the stairs and out of the common room. 

Everyone in the common room definitely knew the trio was up to something, but they decided to ignore it. 

******

Harry stumbled back into the library and found his friends. "All right, I have everything we need," he said. 

He placed the map on the table, took out his wand, pointed it at the map, and said in low, but clear voice, _"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."_

Immediately what had been a blank parchment became a map of Hogwarts, showing its innermost intricacies. Secret passages, and the current location of people (such as Filch who was currently roaming the trophy room) appeared. 

"Well," Ron said as he gazed at the map. "It looks like the coast is clear, we should get to the one eyed witch and the passage behind without incident." 

"We should be going if we want to get back quickly," Hermione said. She didn't like the idea of sneaking out of school, but she knew how anxious Harry felt. 

Harry took out the Invisibility Cloak. "You got the book and the paper?" he asked Hermione. 

"Yes," she said, "I put a shrinking charm on them, they're in Ron's pocket."

Harry draped the Invisibility Cloak over the three of them. At first he was weary the three of them wouldn't be able to fit under it anymore, they had all grown so tall. But of course, it was a _magical_ cloak, and it seemed to stretch to fit their dimensions. 

"All right then, let's go." Ron said. 

The trio walked out of the library. They reached the one eyed witch without incident, but had to wait for Peeves to quickly glide in and glide out before they could get to the secret passageway. When the coast was clear, Harry took out his wand and tapped the statue. "Dissendium!" Harry whispered. He quickly went inside, followed by Hermione and Ron. The three of them slid down the stone slide Harry recognized from his first trip through there, and landed on dirt. 

"Oof!" he heard Ron exclaim, "Hermione! You're foot landed on my stomach!" 

"I'm sorry!" she said. 

Harry suppressed a chuckle and looked around the dark, damp passageway. He took out his wand. "Lumos!" he whispered. Hermione and Ron followed his example. Harry tapped the Marauder's Map, muttered "Mischief managed!" and the map went blank again. He then pocketed his Invisibility Cloak.

"All we have to do is go straight down this passageway." Harry told his friends. 

It was anything but a straight passage, and they fell over each other quite a bit, but they eventually got to the stone steps Harry remembered from his first trip through there. He silently climbed up a few steps, and motioned to Hermione and Ron to follow. They seemed to climb a million steps, but eventually they got to the trapdoor Harry remembered hitting his head on.  He stayed still for a bit, straining to hear any noises above him. When he felt the coast was clear, he took out his Invisibility Cloak and draped it over himself. He pushed the trap door open, and silently climbed into the cellar. He saw no one was in the room, so he stood over the trapdoor and helped Hermione up. She silently got out of the way, and stood beside Harry while he helped Ron up. They did this to keep themselves under the protection of the cloak, incase anyone burst into the room. Now with the three of them safely inside Honeydukes, and under the cloak, Harry pushed the trap door closed.  

The trio swiftly walked up the stairs, and out the door. They found themselves behind the Honeydukes counter, and nearly ran into one of the owners. They quickly dodged the man (who had a shiny bald, head), and stepped sideways until they got out from behind the counter. 

Honeydukes wasn't as full today as it normally was, at least it seemed that way to the trio. They were used to seeing it on Hogsmeade weekends when it was full of merry laughter and screaming kids. Today it looked a bit lonely, which was probably attributed to the strong winds! ("Nobody wants to go out in these winds!" They heard the man with the shiny, bald head exclaim.) 

"Let's get out of here before we accidentally bump into someone," Ron said. He was having a rather difficult time preventing people from tripping over him, which was weird since there weren't many people.  ("Well if you weren't so distracted by the sweets you'd watch where you put your foot!" Hermione muttered under her breath) 

The trio silently crept out of the store and into Hogsmeade. Immediately, they were hit with a strong gust of wind, which threatened to take the cloak with it, but the trio held on to the cloak with a death grip. They walked right next door, directly to the front of the building where they bought Hermione's book. When they tried to open the door, they couldn't. It was locked. 

"Blast!" Harry said. "The bloody store is closed." 

Ron shook Harry's shoulders and pointed to where the sign of _The Olive Branch_ used to hang. The sign was blank. 

Hermione peaked into the windows of the building. There was nothing inside. 

"Harry," Hermione whispered to in his ear, "The store is gone." 


	7. So You Want to be Immortal?

v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes**

_Chapter 7: So You Want to Be Immortal? _

"Hermione," Harry began. He didn't understand it. He felt a sudden need to lash out his anger at something, anything. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about this whole situation was making him tense, making him anxious. There was something his soul new instinctively that he consciously couldn't comprehend.  But the wheels were turning in his mind, and he knew that in one way or another, **he** had something to do with it, the wizard who just wouldn't die. 

He knew Voldemort was behind this. But what, why? It was driving him mad! What would he want with a book about ancient Greece? Why did the snake talk to him? Why did he keep coming back? _What is it that I have that he wants? _Harry thought.

"Hermione," Harry repeated. He licked his lips and clenched his teeth and fists. The wind was unbearable and drying his lips, and he was so angry he had to do something to control himself or else someone would blow up like his Aunt Marge, but in this wind they would end up flying away. "Hermione, what do you mean the store is gone?" 

They were still standing under the invisibility cloak in front of the now empty store. They had stood like that for a few minutes while Harry processed the information Hermione had imparted. Hermione knew what Harry was feeling; their weird link provided an avenue of emotional correspondence without physical contact whenever the feeling was strong. But feeling what Harry was feeling was making her a tad apprehensive herself…  

"I mean it's gone! There is nothing inside, there is no sign on the door, and quite frankly, it looks like its been abandoned like this for quite some time…years even…" 

"Years?" Ron choked. "But Harry and I came right before Christmas, that time, remember? When everyone found out about you two-" 

"There's only one way to find out." Harry said. He threw off the invisibility cloak, shoved it inside his robes, and stalked right up to Honeydukes. 

"Has he gone mad?" Ron asked Hermione as they followed him. "We'll get caught out of school! We'll get in trouble! And of course they'll recognize us, he's sodding Harry Potter for crying out loud, its not like he can expect to be inconspicuous…" 

"He knows what he's doing." Hermione said, reassuring herself as well as Ron. 

When they entered the store, they immediately found Harry with the shiny-headed bald guy. 

"Why it's Harry Potter!" The man exclaimed loudly. Luckily, the few customers who were in the store before were now gone, and no one was there to witness the famous Harry Potter ditching school.

"Sir, I have come to ask you a favor." Harry began…

"Of course! Anything for Harry Potter. Would you like a bit o'candy lad?" The man asked. 

"No thank you sir, its not that, it's just that…"  

"But o'course ya do! Here, let me go get ya some…" 

And here the man commenced to grab a candy bag and begin to stuff it with all kinds of candy. Ron wondered why he didn't do this every time Harry came into the store, but he figured he couldn't very well be giving a kid free candy (even though he was Harry Potter) when hundreds more would be wanting the same.

"Here ya go lad, free of charge o'course. Nothing less for the boy who lived." 

"Thank you." Harry said, taking the bag of candy reluctantly. "Sir, I came to ask you…" 

"What are you three doing out of school anyways? It isn't a Hogsmeade weekend up at Hogwarts is it? Not in this weather o'course, and we didn't get any notification like we usually do…"  

"No sir, it isn't a Hogsmeade weekend."

The man stopped his tirade and looked at the trio suspiciously.  "What are ya doin' out of school then?" 

"Sir, please. I wish I could tell you, but I can't. Just please; don't tell anyone you saw us. Please?" 

The man eyed the three of them thoroughly, as if sizing them up, questioning their motives. Finally, his eyes softened and he nodded his head. 

"Its all right. You can't be doing any more harm then those Weasley twins, eh?" The man asked with a chuckle. 

Ron couldn't stop a grin from spreading his face, but he quickly sobered when he saw Harry's "resolute face." 

"Sir, tell me, how long has that store next door been closed?"

The man stopped chuckling and looked at Harry sternly. "Store? What store?" 

"You know, that antique store, _The Olive Branch_," Ron piped up. 

"What are ya talking about?" The man asked. "There has never been an antique store in Hogsmeade, let alone one called _The Olive Branch_. What kind of a silly name is that?" 

The trio exchanged grim expressions. This was not going too good. 

"But sir, this past Christmas, my friend Ron and I purchased a book in that store. It was right there we saw it, and today its…" 

"I've had Honeydukes here for the past 150 years. There has never been a store next door, or anywhere in Hogsmeade called _The Olive Branch_. As a matter of fact, the building next door has been empty for the past 113 years. Sorry lads." The man said. He did indeed looks deeply apologetic, and was staring at the three of them as if they had lost their marbles. 

"Well, thank you sir." Harry said. He felt like he was going to lose it. _No store? There was a store! I know there was! I was in I, and I saw that man… _The memory of that man made Harry shudder a bit. He knew he had to talk to him. 

The trio walked right behind the counter, towards the basement. 

"Umm, lads? Where are you going?" The man asked.

"Oh, um…" Harry stammered. 

*_Should we say anything?_ *

_*No we shouldn't. He might block it from us later on. We'll just walk back out, put on the invisibility cloak, and sneak back in.* _He heard Hermione say in his mind. 

"Sorry, we were going the wrong way…" Harry said weakly. 

Before the trio could make it outside, the bald headed man stopped them.

"The only time it was not empty was the first 37 years I had the store here. A witch worked there, and I don't mean just any witch, a powerful witch, and a beautiful one. She had powers some of us only dream of having, powers only provided by the Dark Arts o'course. Back then I used to see people walk in and never walk out. The strangest thing about it all was that from time to time I could hear the distinct sounds of animals, pigs oinking, lions roaring, wolves howling, _all_ coming from next door. Bloody glad was I when the old hag finally left." The man winked at them. "Don't worry lads, I won't tell."  

The trio nodded at the man with a smile, and the man waved a jolly goodbye. 

******

"What do you mean it isn't there?" Voldemort spat at Wormtail. Wormtail cowered in a corner, his face towards the ground, afraid to look at his master. 

He thought the last time had been bad. Voldemort has resolved to using Muggle torture, well, sort of. He found a spell that made you feel like you were being stabbed, and he used it on every part of Wormtail's body, the longest on his good hand, to make him feel what would happen if he messed up the job.  

"What I said Master. It isn't there. There was no store. The store is gone" 

Voldemort grabbed Wormtail by his shirt collar and dragged him to his feet. "Stop patronizing me you insufferable fool!" Voldemort roared, and he tossed Wormtail to the floor. 

The servant whimpered at his master's feet. "I'm s...so sorry Master. I didn't intend-" 

Voldemort prodded him with his feet. "Get up you imbecile."

Wormtail readily conceded and stood up, brushing dust of his cloak. 

"We did see something very interesting though." Wormtail said, trying to find favor with his master.  

Voldemort sat down in his big green throne-like chair with a look of ennui on his face. "And what, Wormtail, did you find that was so important?" He asked, a sinister look on his face as he clasped his hands in front of him. 

"We saw Harry Potter." 

A look of pure contempt flashed through Voldemort's startling green eyes. "You saw, Potter?" 

Wormtail nodded. "It was quite strange, no one was there one minute, and all of a sudden he appeared right in front of the empty store out of nowhere. His two idiotic friends where with him, obviously they were poking around the same place we were at only moments before. Its safe to assume that that is where he got his hands on the book…"  

Voldemort nodded condescendingly. "Of course he did you nitwit. Where else could he have gotten it?"

Wormtail backed up a few paces. Voldemort sighed wearily. "Did he have the book with him?" he asked. 

Wormtail shook his head. "It didn't appear that he did, otherwise we would have gone in and taken it from him and finally completed the map, and then you'd be one step closer to immortality…" 

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "So you did not, as you put it, 'go in?' And why didn't you? Are you scared of the little brat?" 

Wormtail gulped and slowly shook his head. "No sir, its just that…"

"Just what, Wormtail?" Voldemort asked in a menacing tone. 

"We...w-w…we thought you would like the pleasure of killing him." Wormtail finished. 

"Ahh, so now you think you can defeat the great Harry Potter? Tell me, if I can't defeat him, what makes you think you can? Do you think you are better than I, and stronger than I? Is that it Wormtail? ANSWER ME!" He yelled as he stood up from his seat.

"N…no sir, of course not, what makes you say-?" 

At this point Voldemort laughed. He laughed so hard and so coldly. It was difficult to place his laughter, such harsh, bitter laughter, mixed with amusement and menace, coming from such a handsome face. His laughter caused his wavy black hair to dance, and deep dimples appeared on his cheeks. Yes, he was handsome. His face lit up when he laughed, but was it really laughter? 

"Oh Wormtail, you are really stupid you know?" Voldemort remarked between laughs as he went back to his seat. 

Wormtail nodded, shame making him blush. 

"Now be gone. I tire of you patheticness." 

"Yes Master," Wormtail bowed humbly as he left the room. 

"Oh and Wormtail," Voldemort started, the laughter still on his face but his voice with an icy edge. "Get me that book, or I will kill you. I promise." 

******

 He stood on the Astronomy Tower breathing in the clear night's air. It was a gorgeous night, the stars shinning in the sky like glitter, the wind cool and fresh. The lake was still and silent, reflecting the moon and the stars on its metallic surface. It was a perfect night, a perfect night to dream, and to have dreams come true.

"I'm going to fly," he whispered to himself. The soft wind blew through his black hair, and his giddy anticipation of what he would do shortly settled on him in a form of peace. There was a light in his eyes and a tranquility in him that hadn't been there for weeks. His body seemed to hum from head to toe, and he felt like bursting with elation. 

"I'm going to fly tonight, outside," he murmured to himself.  Seconds later a Golden Gryffin stood where the young raven-haired boy stood before. The Golden Gryffin stretched its long wings out and jumped off the tower. 

Immediately it began to use its wings to gain altitude, and soon it was flying in the starry sky, circling the castle grounds and the woods beyond. _Nothing can compare to this,_ Harry silently thought_. Nothing can give so much pleasure, so much joy, so much peace.  Nothing can make me feel this brave, or strong, or ready._ _Well, maybe except Hermione's lips…_

The Golden Gryffin stopped its train of though and let its mind go completely blank. He wanted to soak in the euphoria, the freedom of flight. He never wanted it to end, but he soon felt himself tired and he knew that he must. 

The Golden Gryffin flew back to the tower and landed gracefully. Soon the handsome young raven-head stood where it once was. 

Harry knew it was late, and that if he wanted to maintain a normal amount of sanity tomorrow, he should be heading back to Gryffindor Tower to sleep, but he was reluctant to go. His first outdoor flight gave him a sense of power. He felt a confidence he had never mustered ever before in his life. He felt he could do anything! And he got it into his stubborn head that he could. 

"What the heck!" He exclaimed to himself. He had to try. He had to continue trying or it would slowly drive him mad. He knew he had too, but he didn't want to, but he had to. _He had to._ He wasn't given a bloody choice. It was something within him, something he couldn't control try as he might. 

It still didn't mean he had to like it though. 

He closed his eyes and began to concentrate hard, trying his hardest to go back to second year and his fight with the basilisk. It was really strange that it came easier to him to transfigure into a Golden Gryffin, he had never even see one up close. Yet the Basilisk, which he had seen with his very own eyes, and fought with his very own hands, was still a mystery to him. All he remembered was a bright, green, thick, slithering serpent, all fangs and animosity… 

Slowly, Harry felt himself sink to his knees. Only he had no knees…

_Where did my bloody knees go?_ He thought in a panic. In his panic he dropped concentration and the gorgeous, green Basilisk that lay where Harry once stood became Harry again. 

"Phew," Harry exclaimed as he stood up, panting, his legs trembling a bit.

He hastily pulled his invisibility cloak over himself and ran straight to Gryffindor Tower.  

******

"Harry, wake up." Hermione shook him out of his nap. Classes were over for the day and they were in the library. For the past two weeks they had been blindly researching, trying to find anything that had to do with that blasted book. (Or the **Greek Book** as they'd taken to calling it. After all, _it made itself_ Greek.)  

They had already tried to find the book in English, seeing that it translated itself to Greek, but they had no luck. Then Hermione got the brilliant idea of finding a book that could teach them to translate it back into English themselves, but Ron reminded her, again, the she was a, "bloody witch for crying out loud!" and that they could probably find a spell that would reverse the translation. They looked through every book possible without any luck. Then they thought they could find a spell that would _re-translate_ it back, and they did indeed find one, only that it didn't work. 

_"What in Merlin's name…?!"_ Hermione shrieked flabbergasted, and followed that up with a lot of colorful words she probably learned from Ron. ALL her spells worked, they HAD to! 

"It's probably protected, Hermione," Harry said as he rubbed her back and kissed her hair soothingly, trying to hide his amusement. "This probably has nothing to do with your magical capabilities." 

Hermione, more determined than ever, went back to her original idea of manual translation, but all they could find on translations were "How to Understand the Latin in Your Spells," by Marius Marius Ctesia. 

"Well of course you won't find anything Greek here, standard magic is all Latin!" Ron exclaimed in annoyance. He would rather have been out flying then stuck in the library.  

And today they were back, back in the library with no apparent plan, hoping against hope that they would find something so that they wouldn't have another library day in vain.  

"Hmmm?" Harry mumbled. His eyes were glazed sleepily and his hair was disheveled, flying all over the place and making a lovely haphazard curtain around his scar.  

"Harry, you stayed up flying last night again, didn't you?" Hermione chastised. "Figures. You are aware I can't do this alone. Ron isn't being a big help, as usual." Hermione pointed to were Ron was standing, surrounded by Lavender, Parvati, and some other Gryffindor 4th years, obviously flirting. 

Harry grinned, still trying to shake off sleep. "Well, at least he's moving on." 

Ron looked up and realized his two best friends were staring at him, so he excused himself from the charmed group of girls and walked over to the table were Harry and Hermione were currently installed. 

Ron noticed the sly grins and exchanged glances his two best friends indulged in, and he had the decency to blush a bit and ask in an aghast voice, "What?" 

Harry and Hermione couldn't hide their amusement and pointed at the throng of girls at the table were he had been holding court. They kept turning their heads around to stare at Ron, and blushing and giggling when they saw he stared back. 

"What?" Ron echoed, "That was nothing. I was just talking to them…" But Ron couldn't help the Cheshire cat grin that spread through his face. 

"Yes, and I am King Richard the Lionheart." Harry said, stifling a chuckle. 

Ron reached over and messed up his friend's hair, even more than it already was. "Since when did you get a sense of humor?"  

Harry was about to retort when Hermione raised her hand between them. "I would love to continue the passive-aggressive banter fest that seems to be the primary inclination of the day, but if you two don't remember we need to figure out what the hell that talking book wants or Harry will die of an anxiety attack!"  

Harry and Ron quickly sobered up and turned to look at Hermione, who had now resolved to stacking books in piles in the order of their purpose. She had a determined look on her face and a gleam in her eye that Ron recognized as the "Nobody-is-going-to-mess with-Harry-unless-they-get-through-me-first," glint. He remembered seeing her with it in third year when Harry's Firebolt first arrived. He also remembered seeing her with it in fourth year, all through fourth year, when he did the pratty thing of leaving his best friend's side in a time of need over jealousy. 

He remembered being in Herbology the day before the first task. He was sitting there quietly when Harry burst into the greenhouse and ran straight to Hermione:  

_"Hermione," Harry whispered…"Hermione – I need you to help me."_

_"What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?" she whispered back, her eyes round with anxiety…_

She looked so worried, so scared. _Is it just me or did she hold his hand then?_

_Why didn't I see it before?_ He wondered. _Why didn't they see it before?_

"Ron? Rooon!" Harry whispered loudly, swaying his hand in front of Ron's face in an effort to get his attention. "Ron, can you please stop daydreaming about your admirers over there and help us out for once," Harry said jovially.

"Umm…sure Harry," Ron said absently, trying to get out of his daze. 

"Well then," Harry started, "What is there left to do?" 

 "I don't know what to do, I've run out of ideas completely. Oh Harry what if we never figure this out? What does it all mean? What are we to do? I can't think anymore!" Hermione paced the table violently in her quiet rage. 

Harry reached out his arm and pulled her into a chair. "You're making me nervous." 

Ron gave his best friend a wry smile. 

"Argh! I just can't help it. This whole situation is puzzling and annoying, and godamnit I just want to figure it all out!" Hermione let out in exasperation. 

Harry sank down to his knees next to Hermione. He grabbed her face and turned her to look at him. "Hermione, Hermione, listen to me. Please, I need you ok? I need you to be the calm, levelheaded intelligent witch I fell in love with ok? I can't do this without you. Please? Stay calm; it'll be all right. You're no good to me in this psychotic state." He smiled at her and gave her a quick smack on the lips, hoping she would cool down. 

"Besides," Ron interrupted, "isn't Harry supposed to be the one with the maniac anxiety?" He asked with a grin.

Harry turned around and blushed a bit, "Well, I…er…" 

"He went flying last night," Hermione spoke for him, "flying calms him." Harry had successfully placated her and she was now flipping the pages of the Greek Book calmly.   

"You flew? Outside? Last night? As a Golden Gryffin?" Ron asked excitedly. 

"Er…yeah…" Harry said, a bit embarrassed by the attention but pleased at his accomplishment. 

At this point, Hermione jumped up and shrieked in delight. "Oh my goodness! Harry look!" She yelled. 

Before anyone could ask, she ran to the bookshelves and came scurrying back with a huge, thick, book. 

"How could I have been so stupid?" She exclaimed as she slammed the book onto the desk. 

_Where have I seen this before?_ Harry asked himself, quickly reminded of first year. Apparently Ron was reminded of the same thing because he was hiding a smile behind his hands. 

Hermione, meanwhile, was violently turning pages in the big fat book. "There," she pointed to a page and handed it over to Harry. 

There was a picture on it, of a man on it. He wore a broad-brimmed traveling hat, and winged sandals. But the most remarkable thing about that man was his staff. It was long as staff's come, but it too was winged, there were two snakes entwined around it and there was a crystal orb that glowed green at the very top.  It oddly reminded him of the Crystal of Circe. 

Harry felt himself immediately drawn to the staff. He got a funny feeling in his stomach when he saw it, like butterflies, and an insane desire to have the staff in his hands. It quite literally drove him mad…

But the funny thing of the man in the picture, was the he suddenly turned and smiled at Harry, and _offered him his staff_.  

The man literally tried to give the staff to Harry, smacking the page with the staff in an effort to get it out of the picture. All Harry could do was run his finger over it. 

Suddenly Ron came and peered at the page over Harry's shoulder. When Ron came the man grabbed his staff back and hugged it tightly, as if he didn't want Ron anywhere near his precious staff. 

"What's his problem?" Ron asked, as he bit into an apple he produced from his bag. 

Harry could only continue to stare at the man in the picture. "Hermione, how did you know to find him?" 

Hermione got the Greek Book and turned a couple pages until she came to a picture of that same man, again with that same staff and those same clothes. He again noticed Harry and offered him his staff, but whenever Ron or Hermione came near got all protective of it. 

"I checked out that book last year," she said, pointing at the book she just brought out. "And when I was flipping pages of the Greek Book just now I found that picture. Isn't it odd that he is the only one that remained a picture? All the rest of the pictures in the book became still engravings when it did that weird transformation thing. Anyways, I remembered I had seen him before, and I remembered the other book." 

 Harry got up, sat Hermione on the table, placed himself between her legs and gave her the deepest, most sensual kiss Ron had ever witnessed in the history of his life. 

He brought his hands down to her waist and she wrapped her arms around his neck, seemingly oblivious to the entire library, which was currently staring at the spectacle they were making of themselves. 

"M-m-m-m-m…" They heard Ron clear his throat. "You guys, er…Madame Pince is bound to notice that everyone's heads are turned in this direction for some reason any minute now…" 

Harry and Hermione broke away from their kiss, breathless, but looking completely satisfied. "God I love you," Harry said, still imparting soft kisses on her cheeks and jaw, "you are so brilliant, and amazing..." 

Hermione threw back her head and giggled. 

"Well, apparently they didn't hear me," Ron said to himself as he attempted to tiptoe away from the snogging duo. But before he got very far, his two best friends straightened up and got back on task. 

"Ron, stop fooling around and come back to work," he heard Harry say. 

Ron rolled his eyes and re-joined his friends. _I'm fooling around?_

"So…" Harry began, "Who exactly is this guy?" 

Hermione settled back into her seat and fell right into the story. "He is Hermes, the 'messenger of the gods', and a god himself. But since we've established that they weren't really gods, they're just witches and wizards like us (only with bigger egos) then we'll skip all that. The question is, what is so special about this particular god, and what exactly is his pertinence to that book, that he is the only one that maintained the privilege of being a full, moving, picture?"  

The three of them stood still for a while, Ron still eating his apple, silently pondering the questions Hermione set forth. The Greek Book was open in the middle between them all, turned towards Harry, and the man in the picture, Hermes, was still trying to give the staff to Harry. 

Harry reached over and examined the picture. "Hermione, what exactly is that staff thingy he keeps trying to give to me?" 

"Oh that is what the Greeks called the _Kerykeion_, but it is more commonly known in its Roman translation as the _Caduceus_," Hermione said, as if she expected both of them to know exactly what it was and the whole matter would thenceforth be cleared up. 

"The what?" Ron asked. 

"Honestly, don't you two read?"  Hermione asked in exasperation. 

Ron almost choked on his apple. "And exactly what year are we in Harry?" 

Harry could only grin. _She is still my same Hermione,_ he thought to himself. 

Hermione rolled her eyes and continued her dictation. "The _Caduceus_, for those of us who are illiterate," Hermione began, glaring at Ron, "was Hermes' staff. In one story it was given to him by his brother the Greek god Apollo (another egotistical git) in exchange for a lyre. But actually, the staff was originally Hermes' very own wand. One day Hermes chanced upon two fighting snakes. He then proceeded to place his wand between them, whereupon the snakes became friends and coiled themselves around the wand. Excuse me a moment." 

Hermione stopped her dictation for a bit, picked up the book she had gotten from the bookshelf, and looked at the entry under Hermes' picture. She wanted to refresh her memory of the whole story, but her jaw dropped at what she ended up finding instead. "Look at this!" Hermione whispered. "During the Middle Ages, alchemists like Nicolas Flamel believed that the snakes represented the union of opposites." 

_The union of opposites…_Harry thought somberly. Something about that phrase tensed him up, especially when paired with a name that has so much history with him. 

Hermione noticed the sudden shift in mood Harry underwent. Well, she felt it more than she saw it. It hit him hard, like a pack of ice, and when he felt so strongly she felt the undercurrents of it.  

_*Harry, are you…?*_

_*I'm fine Hermione, please, continue.*_

Hermione cleared her throat and continued her lecture, but more slowly, and with a furrowed brow. "Well, the Caduceus is considered a symbol of rejuvenation because the snake sheds its skin. That theory goes along well with the staff's magical capabilities. Apparently, it can heal almost everything, it can make you invisible, and it provides its bearer with _immortality_." 

At that last statement, Harry suddenly stood up. "Immortality?" He repeated as he began to pace the table. 

Ron rolled his eyes. "Here we go again." 

Harry shot Ron a nasty glare. 

"Yes, immortality," Hermione jumped in. 

_Immortality_, Harry thought. _Immortality, Nicolas Flamel, the Sorcerer's Stone, Voldemort…_

Voldemort_. _

"Its Voldemort!" Harry exclaimed suddenly. 

"Shh!" Ron chastised. "Its You-Know-Who! And not so loud, you'll freak out the entire library." 

Hermione jumped up. "Voldemort? What are you talking about?" 

"Don't you see?" Harry asked, his eyes alight as he paced the room. "The wand gives its bearer immortality. Apparently it was closely studied by Nicolas Flamel, probably for the same reason. The last time we heard the name Nicolas Flamel was because of the Sorcerer's Stone, which makes its bearer immortal. And who was looking to be immortal?" 

"Voldemort," Hermione mouthed with a blank face. 

"Exactly. He wants the _Caduceus_; he wants the immortality. He probably knows where we got this book, which is why the store was gone." The more Harry theorized, the more wildly he paced around the table. 

Hermione tried to be rational. "Harry! You have no proof Voldemort is behind all this! All we know is that there was a store that never existed, you guys bought me a book from it, and it started talking to you, changed languages, and began offering you things. That's it."  

Hermione got up and grabbed Harry by the shoulders. "No sign of Voldemort anywhere." 

Harry relaxed and allowed himself to be guided back into his seat by Hermione. "Besides, the Caduceus probably doesn't even exist anymore, we're talking about Ancient Greece Harry, not the Middle Ages. Besides, how on earth would one go about finding it anyways?" 

Harry turned to Hermione abruptly. "What did you say?" 

"What did I say? About what?" 

"How someone would go about finding it…" 

Hermione looked puzzled. "Well, no one would, would they? It probably doesn't exist! And even if it still did, do you think it'd be lying around just anywhere? It's probably well hidden, with all kinds of wards, and the land has certainly changed dramatically from ancient times. Why, you'd probably need an ancient map of sorts to find one…" 

"A Map? Hermione! The paper thing!" Harry grabbed the Greek Book and began shuffling papers until he found the small piece of  torn up old paper with the picture of what looked like an island on it. "Hermione, do you think this could be  part of such a map?" He asked, gulping as he did so. 

Hermione took the paper from him, trembling at the bizarreness of this situation.  "Perhaps," she said weakly. 

"He wants it," Harry said silently. "He wants the _Caduceus_. He knew about that piece of paper hidden in this book. He is trying to get to it, why otherwise would it have fallen in _my_ lap? Everything he is involved with usually does."  He couldn't stop the bitterness from entering his voice. Hermione reached over and laced her hand through his. 

"Did it ever cross your thick skull," Ron began, annoyed at seeing Harry in one of his, 'oh woe is me and my destiny,' funks, "that maybe this was put in your lap because it was meant for **you**? Maybe this has nothing to do with Voldemort. Maybe you are the one that's supposed to bear the Mark of Hermes. Or don't you remember what that bloody snake told you?"  

Harry stared at Ron with a new light in his eyes. _Why is he making sense?_ _Do I want him to make sense?_

Seeing that he had his friends' attention, he continued, "Maybe **you** were meant to use the Caduceus to fight with Voldemort, so you wouldn't die. I mean, it's obviously not for Hermione and I, every time we get near it the little man in the picture tries to keep it away from us. It is obviously meant for you, and it is obvious that you should go out and seek it. Maybe you were meant to be immortal. The question is, do you want to be immortal?"

Harry looked from Hermione to Ron and back. "Wow Ron, coherent ideas coming from you?" He added cheekily, "Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?" 

Ron stuck out his tongue, and he would have rejoined, if Hermione hadn't jumped in. "Harry, you can't really be thinking about going off to find that thing. How would you go about it? Where exactly would you go to look for it? And why? We aren't really sure of anything at this point. How do we know you're really meant to brandish it? What if this isn't some big coincidence?" 

Harry was surprised to see picture Hermes shaking his fist at Hermione. "Hermione, whether the staff is meant for me, whether I fell into this because I'm somehow stopping Voldemort, or whether it is one big coincidence, something tells me that I must find that staff. Besides, when have the things that have happened to me ever been a big coincidence? Now I'm doing this with or without your help." Harry was again surprised to see picture Hermes cheering him on. 

Hermione sighed and sank into her chair. "All right, how are you going to go about this then?" 

Harry picked up the small sheet of paper with the island on it. "Well, it probably is here, whatever that island is." He handed the paper to Hermione. 

"Harry, this is part of a map, how are you sure its here and not in any of the other parts?" Hermione asked, twirling the paper in different directions as she spoke. 

"Well, it was the only part found in this book, it must be the most important one." 

"And what of its name? Does it have a name?" Ron asked. Hermione passed the paper to him so he could study it. "Apparently not." 

"Argh this is idiocy!" Hermione exclaimed. She grabbed the Greek Book and slammed it on the table, causing the table to shake a bit, and causing one of the books she had piled up to fall on the floor. "Bloody hell!" She sighed as she bent down to pick up the book. She stopped when she saw to what page it fell open to. "Merlin's teeth!" 

Harry looked over and peered at Hermione. "What is it?"

Hermione, her face white and slightly shaking, placed the open book in front of Harry, and, taking the map piece away from Ron, placed it right next to it. 

"Good God!" Harry said. 

Hermione smiled weakly. "Maybe it isn't such a big coincidence after all?" 

"What are you two on about?" Ron asked as he got up and peered over their shoulders. "Great Merlin's Ghost!" He shouted when he finally saw 'what they were on about.' 

For apparently, when the book fell, it landed so that you could see its pages clearly. It landed open to a page where there was the image of an island, an island identical to the one on the small, ripped piece of paper. 

"Oh. My. God." Hermione whispered, "Its Aeaea." 

Harry nodded; he knew where this was going. "Its on Aeaea." 

"What is Aeaea?" Ron demanded. He was still clearly shocked at how all the pieces were falling together. Then again, this wasn't the first time it happened this way….

"Aeaea," Hermione began, "is the island where the witch Circe lived." 

"Oh," Ron said. "Why would the Caduceus be there anyways?" 

"I don't know." Hermione replied, a bit dumbstruck.

_*Hermione*_

_*Yes Harry?*_

_*Remember what the guy at Honeydukes said, about the person that used to work in the shop next to his when he first started there?*_

_*Yes, but Harry, what does that have anything to-*_

_*Think Hermione. *_

And then Hermione heard the man speaking in her head. 

**"The only time it was not empty was the first 37 years I had the store here. A witch worked there, and I don't mean just any witch, a powerful witch, and a beautiful one. She had powers some of us only dream of having, powers only provided by the Dark Arts o'course. Back then I used to see people walk in and never walk out. The strangest thing about it all was that from time to time I could hear the distinct sounds of animals, pigs oinking, lions roaring, wolves howling, all coming from next door. Bloody glad was I when the old hag finally left…"**

*_Oh no, do you think that-?*_

"Could youplease talk out loud, not all of us are telepathic you know?" Ron remarked coolly. He had noticed Harry and Hermione staring at each other, the way they do when they're talking to each other in their heads. 

Harry and Hermione blushed and began to shuffle books around to hide their embarrassment. 

"Sorry," Harry said. "I started it, but that was because I wanted her to realize something." 

"Right," Hermione agreed, keeping downcast eyes. 

"So, what is it?" Ron asked, clearly wanting to put the matter behind them. 

"Well, the man at Honeydukes, he talked about a woman who worked next door to him in the very beginning, before the store was abandoned. He said that-" 

"Ohhh! You think she might have been Circe!" Ron shrieked, pleased that he had figured it out. 

"Well, yes, I mean no, well, sorta…"

"But don't you think it odd," Hermione began, her brows furrowed and her hands gripping the table tightly, "that you happen to find a book in a shop that was once run by a witch who apparently worked a lot with animals, and that the same book is making it quite clear that you should go off in search of an artifact that may very well be found on an island where a witch who turned people into animals once lived? I find that highly coincidental, too coincidental in my opinion…" 

"Well it's not a coincidence, is it?" Harry asked calmly. "All this was woven together for a purpose. I'm supposed to go off and find it. It's quite simple, really. 

"That still doesn't answer the question of why the Caduceus would be on Circe's Island." Ron said. 

Oddly, picture Hermes began blushing furiously when this question was put forth. 

"Maybe we should ask the book?" Hermione suggested. 

"What?" Harry asked. He was beginning to wonder if maybe his girlfriend wasn't going a bit mad herself. 

"Well, it has spoken to you before hasn't it?" 

"Well yes but, its not like I asked it to. It just happened!"

Hermione gave Harry a pointed stare, and Harry finally relented. "Fine fine fine. I'll ask the bloody book." 

Harry grabbed the Greek Book and closed it. He stared at the engraving of the snake on the cover and asked it in a clear voice. "Snake, what is it that you want?" 

The snake just stared back, not moving or speaking. 

"Well I suggest you speak to it in Parseltongue Mr. I-Have-A-Great-and -Rare-Power-Given-To-Me-By-You-Know-Who-That-I-Refuse-To-Use-Properly." 

Harry rolled his eyes and imagined a real snake in place of the one in the picture. "What is all this?" He hissed. 

Immediately the snake began to slither around. It uncoiled itself from the Olive Tree and spoke directly to Harry. _"Where were you last night, oh favored son?"_ The snake hissed ominously. 

Harry looked puzzled at this question. "Where, was I last night?"

The snake nodded. _"Did you, or did you not awaken my master?"_ It asked. 

Harry was beginning to get more and more confused, but something about it all made perfect sense. "I was out, I-"

But before Harry could continue another snake appeared, at first it looked like they were about to fight, but then they coiled themselves around the Olive Tree, only that the Olive Tree wasn't an Olive Tree anymore; it was a staff, a staff with an orb at the top. The snakes entwined themselves around the staff and both spoke to Harry in a superior tone. "The union of opposites…" they said, "awoke our master. And now you are ready to brandish his mark."

With that, the snakes stopped moving. 

Harry ran his hands through his hair. "All right, now I'm even more confused." 

Hermione was staring at Harry curiously. 

_*Harry?*_

_*Yes Hermione?*_ He thought back to her. 

_*Last night, when you were out flying, did you, by any chance, you know, manage to transfigure yourself into a Basilisk?*_ Hermione asked. She, like Harry, wasn't particularly thrilled with this ability. 

_*Umm-yeah.* _Harry agreed reluctantly. He didn't know why he kept this fact to himself, or why he was so reluctant to share it. 

"That's it then." Hermione said, a light in her eyes. 

"What's it? And what on earth did that snake, or should I say two snakes, hiss on an on about?" Ron demanded. 

"Harry managed to become a Basilisk!" Hermione exclaimed. 

Ron could only gasp and drop his jaw. 

"That's it Harry! Can't you see? The union of opposites, Last night you flew as a Golden Gryffin, and then you overcame your Basilisk dilemma. That picture of Hermes in the Greek Book, it didn't move before, it was an engraving, but last night you awoke it. The union of opposites Harry! The Golden Gryffin and the Basilisk, the lion and the snake, _Gryffindor and Slytherin, _opposites, mortal enemies, joined together **in you**."

Picture Hermes, at this point, was clapping wildly and jumping around in excitement.

 *_I guess you figured it out.* _Harry thought to Hermione, a small smile playing on his lips. 

_*I guess I did.*_ Hermione rejoined with a triumphant grin. She walked over to Harry and wrapped her arms around him.  

"Bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed in a teasing voice. "How come Harry gets to be immortal? Why can't I be immortal?" 

The trio laughed at this, happy at finally having solved the whole thing, although they knew their adventure was just beginning. 

"Well," Harry said, the laughter still in his voice, but a seriousness of duty blending in. "I guess this means I have to go Aeaea." 


	8. Follow the Yellow Brick Road

v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes**

Chapter 8: Follow the Yellow Brick Road 

"Master! Something happened!" Wormtail yelled as he rushed into his Master's lair. Part of him was happy something indeed had in fact happened, but the other part was scared that this was happening because Potter had somehow gotten close to finding it, and if this was true, his Master would surely kill him.

Voldemort was currently sitting in front of a large mirror, staring at himself with a bemused expression. 

_I highly regret doing that spell on him,_ Wormtail said to himself. _He can't get over how good-looking he is._

Wormtail walked up directly behind his master. "Master, something is happening." 

Voldemort turned around to look at his servant with a bored, yet exasperated expression on his face. "What is it now, idiot?" 

"It's the Books sir."

"Yes what of them?" Voldemort said as he picked up a brush and began to brush his wavy black hair. 

"They're blank, sir." Wormtail finished, silently creeping away as he did so. 

At this point, Voldemort stood up and turned around. He was staring at Wormtail with a look of rage so powerful Wormtail wondered if maybe he had the ability to cast the _Aveda Kedavra_ curse using only his eyes.  

"What exactly do you mean when you say that they're _blank_?" 

Wormtail gulped and began his explanation. "Well, master, remember last time the Books turned into Greek? Well, today something strange happened. We were studying the books with that Greek chappie you abducted, trying to get some idea of the last missing piece of the map, when suddenly it went blank. No more Greek writing, no more pictures. We looked through the other books to see if the same had happened and in fact it did." He couldn't look Voldemort in the eye as he finished. "The map went blank as well." 

"I guess this means the Books served their purpose," Voldemort remarked icily as he sat down on his throne. "It's the boy, he knows what to do; he knows where to find it." 

Wormtail nodded guilty, "Master I'm sorry-"

Voldemort began to laugh mirthlessly. "Sorry, why should you be sorry? It is I who have surrounded myself with incompetent fools!" Voldemort got up and kicked Wormtail to the ground. 

Wormtail yelped in pain. "Master, I'm sorry, I really am-"

Voldemort sighed wearily and sank into his throne. "Has the surveillance team informed us of anything? Is the boy still in school or has he left. Has he mysteriously disappeared?" 

Wormtail coughed and stood up slowly. "No, he is still in school." 

"Good. When he leaves, and I do mean when because he will, follow him." 

"Are we to kill him?" 

"No! You are not allowed to harm a hair on that boy's messy head, or his two friends. DO YOU UNDESTAND?" Voldemort practically screamed at the idiocy of his servant. 

Wormtail nodded. "But Master, if we kill him, we can-"

"No. He will lead us right to it don't you see? You are not allowed to go near him, just follow him at a safe distance. Report back to me when you are near it. Now go, and don't come back to me a failure." 

 ******

"What exactly do you mean by saying **I** have to go to Aeaea?" Hermione growled, suspicion in her voice. 

Harry got up and began to walk out of the library, seemingly avoiding his girlfriend. 

"Harry, come back here!" She whispered loudly as she stalked after him, but as he reached the threshold of the library, her suspicion turned into anger. "HAROLD JAMES POTTER YOU STAY RIGHT THERE AND TELL ME WHAT THE BLOODY HELL YOU INTEND ON DOING!" 

Harry stopped without turning around. He knew everyone in the library was staring at them, he also knew that once Madame Pince got over her shock, they would probably get kicked out of the library. 

Harry turned around and looked around the room. Yes, everyone was indeed staring at them. He had slowly come to the realization that it was everyone's favorite pastime to stare at them, the Gryffindor trio, particularly himself and Hermione. When they stared at the three of them they got to see lots of angst and drama, what with all this stopping the end of the world sort of stuff, two best friends both in love with the same girl, and the slow recuperation of the triumvirate dynamic. 

With Harry and Hermione they got to see something, _something indescribable_. They didn't know what it was about them, but they knew it had to do somehow with the way they looked at each other, the way they laughed at each other, the way Harry's eye lit up when Hermione entered the room, the way Hermione would smile when Harry was near her. It by all accounts _had_ to do with the way they would eat off each other's food during mealtimes, so casually and confidently, the way they would sit in front of the fire in the common room, Harry on a chair reading something unconsciously stroking Hermione's hair, who was at his feet doing her homework. 

It most definitely had to do with the way the fought with each other, (rare as those fights were), so much _passion_ and _fire_, and with the way they made up, so much understanding and love. It had something to do with the way they would gravitate towards each other in a crowd, the was the way Harry always had his hands on her in some form or other, the way Hermione would find discreet times to kiss him somewhere, or they would both screw discreetness and indulge in passionate displays, whether they be on library tables, or on common room couches, or by the lake. But it most definitely had to do with the way they both knew what each other was thinking. No one knew exactly _how_ they did it, but they knew they could, or how could they be such perfect harmony? It was in the movement of their bodies, their actions, the things they said, they were in accordance with everything. It was perfect unity. 

And everyone loved to watch this. It was something special to watch, and all they could do was feel envious of not partaking in it. 

Right now it was one of those passionate and fiery fights. Their fights always had two ends to them. For one, they could obviously tell Hermione was mad at him for something, and she looked like she was about ready to pounce on him. But what exactly would she do once she did manage to pounce on him? And what exactly would he do? 

Harry could only stare at Hermione as if she were Venus coming out of her shell. _He_ was obviously ready to pounce _on her_, probably thinking that in her anger she was about the most beautiful creature ever to walk the face of the planet, her hair flying all over the place and her cheeks flushed, her eyes alit with a heated glare. 

There was always a pure and obvious _raw_ _lust_ they exuded towards each other whenever they fought. It was probably fueled by the obscure factor that whenever they did fight, they fought because they were trying to protect one another from something.  

*Hermione, I don't want to fight about this, especially in front of half of the school. Come, we'll go talk about this outside by the lake. Please?*

Everyone saw Hermione's stance loosen, and she walked towards Harry. He put his hand on her shoulder and he motioned toward Ron, who had viewed this whole episode from behind a bookshelf to follow them, Greek Book in hand seeing that his two best friends had obviously forgotten all about it in their lover's quarrel.  

They just did the mind reading thing again, didn't they? 

******

The trio sat silently at the rock by the lake. It was a lovely evening, the sun beginning to set throwing different colors across the sky, reds and yellows and pinks and purples, all mirrored on the lake's shiny surface. 

Harry broke the silence. "I'm sorry, but I can't take both of you with me to Aeaea. It's too dangerous! Who knows how long it'll take me anyways-"

"Harry, do you think I would let you go by yourself on some have assed crusade to find an object of immense power on an island where a beautiful witch lives who makes men fall in love with her and eventually turns them into animals?" Hermione rejoined, discreetly leaving out that there was in fact an herb called _moly_ that can be used to protect oneself from her, which oddly enough, Hermes gave to Odysseus in that one story. _Hmm…have to think about that one later_. She said to herself.   

"Hermione, I'll be fine, really, you don't have to worry about me." 

"Oh really Harry, then tell me, where exactly is Aeaea?" 

Harry stammered around for a bit and Hermione tried to hide her triumphant smile. 

"You know, don't you?" He asked. Why did she have to be so goddam smart? 

Hermione nodded. "Yes of course I do." 

"Hermione, sweetheart, the love of my life and the woman I shall spend the rest of my life with," Harry began, massaging her leg and granting her a debonair smile, "tell me, please." 

Hermione giggled sweetly. "No darling, I shan't say a word." 

Harry growled and stood up. "Honestly Hermione if you would just be reasonable-"

Ron stood up. "Now listen here Harry, I agree with Hermione on this one. You just can't go alone on this one mate, I'm sorry, it's too dangerous for you too."

Hermione stood up and joined in. "Harry, you just can't leave me here waiting for you, I'd go mad with worry!" 

"And I'd go mad watching her go mad." Ron added. 

Harry sighed and sank back down looking defeated. "All right, you guys can come." 

Hermione sat down as well and threw her arms around Harry. 

"Ok then, Hermione, tell me where Aeaea is," Harry commanded. 

"Well," she began unwrapping her arms from around Harry's neck. She tugged on Ron's arm to make him sit down as well. When they were all comfortable, she continued. "It's off the coast of Italy, it is unplottable territory so the Muggles don't know its there, but it is. And Harry, how exactly are you planning on getting us there?" 

Harry ran his hand through his hair "I don't know. If it would have been just me I'd a flown there myself, but now I just don't know." 

This made Hermione and Ron feel a bit guilty, but they quickly shoved it off.

"Well, we could travel the Muggle way," Hermione suggested. "We could take a ferry at Dover and cross the Channel to the port of Calais, and then we can catch a bus and make our way down to the coast of Italy. From there we can fly to Aeaea." 

Harry was slowly warming up to the idea. If this were to work out, he'd get to visit all the magnificent places on the continent he'd always heard about. "I like that idea, actually." 

Ron looked  frightened. "The Muggle way? Why the Muggle way? It could be just easier to get there by Floo Powder or something, I know we can't apparate and all, but still, a boat?" 

Hermione shook her head. "If we travel the magical way it would be easier for them to find us once they start looking for us, or do you think the magical community won't notice it when Harry Potter decides to leave school for a weeklong sojourn? Certainly Dumbledore will fly off his rocker…" 

"Exactly, that is why we must go the Muggle way." Harry agreed. 

"You two need to start thinking clearly, do you two know how much money this whole thing might cost?" Ron complained, "I for one don't have that much to spare…" 

Hermione looked up at Harry, this was obviously going to need a lot of planning. 

"Ron, you won't have to worry about anything, neither will Hermione." Harry said. He knew that this trip would hardly make a dent in his savings. When he learned the exact amount of money he had in his vault, he almost died of shock. He knew that if he wanted to he didn't have to work for the rest of his life, and he'd still live better than Malfoy did, especially after he let Sirius invest a good portion of his trust. Thank Merlin for the Muggle Stock Market! 

"All right, fine." Ron mumbled. "But you do know I don't know how to act with Muggle things or how to act in front of Muggles. That being said, I tell you I won't be held responsible for my irresponsibility." 

******

"Come on Hermione, you have to try, please, just try." 

The trio stood on The Astronomy Tower; Harry had just flown around a couple of times, once with Ron on his back. They had decided that the best way to get to Aeaea from Italy was to fly, but Ron would take Harry's Firebolt. Harry figured Ron too heavy for such a long flight. 

Their only problem was Hermione. She was absolutely TERRIFIED of flying as a Raven. And she simply refused to mount a broom, so it was either this, or she'd have to swim. 

"Please Hermione," Harry silently cajoled. "Please just try, for me?" He opened his eyes wide and pouted a bit_. I shall have her yet_…he thought

_Curse him!_ She thought to herself. _He is giving me that look. I hate it when he does that! Although, he does look so adorable… _

"All right, fine!" She exclaimed in exasperation. "But if something happens-"

"I'll swoop down and get you." Harry finished blandly. "Honestly Hermione, you act like you've never flown before. Remember third year?" 

Hermione did in fact remember third year, when she had flown on the back of a Hippogriff, clutching Harry tightly. Maybe it hadn't been so bad after all…    
  


All teenage hormonal thoughts aside, Hermione promptly transfigured into a Raven. She flew onto Harry's shoulder and nipped his ear affectionately. _*Hedwig will get jealous*_ Harry thought as he stroked the raven tenderly.  

All of sudden the Raven flew off of Harry's shoulders and began to fly above their heads, finally getting the courage to fly a few feet further. As if the god of courage had come to her, Hermione soared over the Hogwarts grounds, over the lake and trees; it looked graceful in its flight. 

When it finally landed it quickly turned back into Hermione. "Oh, wow!" Was all she could say. 

Harry grinned at her, knowing what she was experiencing.

"It feels, it feels like, like…wow!" She said again. 

"I know," Harry said. "Isn't it amazing? The adrenaline rush is just, wow!" Harry echoed her. 

Ron felt a bit glum that he couldn't partake in this euphoric feeling, but he was delighted when Harry told him he'd let him fly his Firebolt.  It was almost as good as turning yourself into an animal and flying through your own force of will. Almost… 

"So, you think a few more days of practicing will have us ready?" Harry asked his two best friends, seriously.

"Harry, I think we are ready." Hermione assured him with a hug. She clutched Ron to her as well. "We've been ready." 

******

Harry stood on the rocky cliffs of Dover, staring out into the water, relief evident in his face. He couldn't believe they'd made it. There were so many problems to this whole caper that he was close to calling it off many times. First was picking when exactly they would leave. Harry and Ron didn't want Quidditch interfering with this whole adventure, and Hermione didn't want to miss any major exam, and of course, the ideal time to pull this off would be on a Hogsmeade weekend when the castle would be too busy worrying about the whole student body rather then dwelling on the three Gryffindors who seemed to never tire of trying to get themselves killed.  

Luckily the month of May afforded such a splendid opportunity. No Quidditch would be in the way. In fact, the Quidditch Cup would be over by then, (if you would like to know, Gryffindor won, what with excellent captainship courtesy of Mr. Harry Potter and brilliant Keeper skills from our very own Ron Weasley) and no stressing exams seeing as reviews for the OWLs would be going on (Hermione was not at all stressed, she'd been working towards these since 3rd year. She was worried about Harry and Ron though, but if they didn't worry about it, why should she? ) 

They left on a Saturday, it was a Hogsmeade weekend and everyone at the breakfast table was a bustle with laughter and excitement. Nobody paid much notice to the three stiff figures that were silently conversing at the end of the table.

"So, do you guys have your passports?" Harry asked them quietly

"Yes," Hermione and Ron answered simultaneously, _for the billionth time_. 

Harry sank back in his chair, still tense. He was not surprised Hermione had a passport, of course she would. He was surprised however, that her parents would let her keep such an important document with her at all times, even at school. 

_"Why of course I have it with me Harry!"_ Hermione had said, _"They're for emergencies aren't they? And my parents DO trust me you know. Honestly._"

Now, both Harry and Hermione were awfully surprised when they found out Ron had a passport, they'd figured they'd have to do some sort of spell to fake one. But Ron did have one, and he owled his parents for it. It was funny; his parents didn't give a second thought to sending Ron his passport, figuring their son was too weary of Muggle travel to do anything stupid. The only reason the Weasleys had gotten passports in the first place was because of their Muggle relatives. Some liked to keep up the pretense they were "normal" people. 

Hermione and Ron, in turn, were surprised Harry had a passport. They figured the Dursleys would never have found reason enough to get him one and to keep renewing it.  But Harry explained that the Dursleys always kept up the hope that some long lost relative from far away would one day come and claim Harry, and they didn't want to delay his departure. And of course, Harry never left any of his possessions at Privet Drive when he came to Hogwarts. Otherwise he would spend his time worrying his aunt and uncle would try something…

"All right then," Harry said a bit severely. "We should go upstairs and get our things together while everyone is still down here." At once, the trio stood up from the Gryffindor table and walked up to the tower. 

******

"Only pack enough to keep you for a week," Harry told Ron while they packed in their room, making sure Hermione heard him as well. 

"I know!" Ron exclaimed, annoyance at his friend clearly evident. 

_*Yes Harry,*_ Hermione thought to him trying to keep him calm. 

Meanwhile, Harry transfigured his old schoolbag into a gym bag of sorts and began throwing his clothes into it, in no apparent order. He also stuffed in his invisibility cloak (just in case!) and the Greek Book. Seeing he needed nothing else, he used a charm to shrink his bag and put it in his pocket. He looked over to Ron who was doing the same thing. 

_*Almost done there, Hermione?*_

At that moment, the door to their room burst open and Hermione sauntered in. "I'm done!" she answered cheekily. 

"Good." Harry grabbed his new backpack, one that Lupin had sent him for Christmas, and threw his passport in as well as other trivial things. "We all set?" He asked. "This is it." 

"We're ready." Ron said. 

"All right then, lets go." 

******

 "We need your help," Harry told the shiny bald headed man sternly as he crawled into Honeydukes through the trapdoor in the cellar. 

Harry, Hermione, and Ron had taken the secret passage by the old witch to get to Honeydukes to escape from Hogwarts.   

The man nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw a head coming out of the floor upon entering. When he realized it was Harry Potter, he went out front and told his wife to take care of the shop for a few moments, came back in, closed the door, and returned to where three kids now stood in his cellar. 

"What is it that you three would like now?" The man asked, a bit surprised at seeing them again, sneaking through a trapdoor no less. 

"We need to use your fireplace," Harry said. "And some Floo Powder." 

"And what exactly do you three think you are doing?" He asked, glancing at them suspiciously. They were wearing traveling clothes, jeans, sneakers, and sweaters. On Hogsmeade weekends, the kids tried to look pretty sharp to show off with each other, the girls in their dresses and the boys in their nice trousers. _Who did they think they were fooling?  _

"We want to go to Diagon Alley." Harry said casually, "I want to take money out of Gringotts so I can come back and have a nice Hogsmeade weekend." 

"Why do you need them for?" The man motioned to Hermione and Ron. 

"I never go anywhere without them." 

The man nodded grimly. "All right then," the man said, "I suppose I can do you this one favor, seeing as how you've defeated Voldemort how many times now, lad?" The man asked jovially as he used his wand to light the fireplace in the cellar. He then proceeded to walk to a cabinet were he took out the Floo Powder. 

Harry tried really hard not to roll his eyes. "I really appreciate it, sir." 

The man threw the Floo Powder into the fireplace. "Who first?" 

Ron stepped into the blue flames and said "Diagon Alley!" Moments later he disappeared. 

The man threw in some more Floo Powder, and Hermione was about to go but she remembered, _*Harry! The potion.* _She reached into he pocket and took out a glass vial, inside the vial was a red potion. She handed it to Harry and stepped into the flames. "Diagon Alley!" she exclaimed loud and clear, and seconds later she disappeared. 

At last it was Harry's turn, but before Harry stepped into the flames, he handed the man the vial of red potion. "Here, drink this." 

The man stared at the vial curiously. "What is it?" 

"Just drink it!" Harry said. "Its not going to harm you or anything, do you think I would harm you after the favor you just did me?" 

The man shook his head. "I guess not." He opened the vial and drank the contents of it. "Blech!" he exclaimed. "What was it for anyways?" 

"Well, in case you were to get  interrogated, you would honestly be able to say you didn't know where we were going. That potion erases the past 10 minutes of memory, and you will have no recollection of your encounter with my friends and I. Good day, sir!" Harry finished abruptly as he stepped into the flames and disappeared. 

Seconds later, a short brown haired woman wearing an apron sauntered into the cellar. "Horace, what on earth are you doing?" she asked breathlessly. 

"I-I don't remember." 

******

Harry took his bag of Gold Galleons and placed them in front of the goblin. "Could you please convert these into pounds?" 

_*You know, they use Euros on the continent now.*_ Hermione thought to him. 

"Umm, not pounds, Euros." Harry immediately corrected. 

The Goblin looked suspicious, _why are three young wizards, who should by all accounts be at Hogwarts, here at Gringotts? One of them looks remarkably like Harry Potter, but it couldn't be him, could it? _

Harry casually threw some hair in front of his forehead, making sure to hide his scar. 

_Nah_, thought the goblin, _it couldn't be._

"Ok then." The goblin drawled nonchalantly. He processed the order quickly and efficiently, and counted the money in front of Harry. "You now have 3,000 Euros. Thank you very much. Next please." 

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "We made it." He exclaimed in relief as he, Hermione, and Ron made their way out of Diagon Alley. "Now for the Knight Bus." 

******

Harry let the wind run through his hair as he breathed in the fresh salty air on the rocky Dover cliffs. They made it and they were alive and they weren't caught. He caught sight of Dover Castle on a hill behind him. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins and the he could taste the freedom on his tongue. He was thoroughly enjoying this… 

Before he could react, he felt a hand on his back that lightly glided over his shoulder and onto his chest. He also felt a head rest on his shoulder and another hand on his waist. He turned his head a bit and kissed Hermione's forehead. "Hmm…did you get the tickets?" 

Hermione sighed a quiet affirmative and continued to gaze lazily at the blue water. "It leaves in 35 minutes. Do you think we should start down now?"

Harry nodded and Hermione disentangled herself from him. They instinctively grabbed each other's hands and made their way down towards the ferry to where Ron silently waited for them. 

******

"Ok, so, where do you want to sit?" Ron asked glancing about. 

Upon entering the Ferry (after a long walk up those walkway things, it was like a never ending walk!) they found themselves in a little vestibule of sorts. To their right was a McDonalds; to their left was a bar of sorts; past that bar was a deck where people were crowded about on benches or standing looking out at the water. Past the McDonalds there were duty free shops, and right across from those there was a bathroom and stairs going upwards.  

"Let's go up those stairs." Hermione suggested. 

The trio quietly walked towards those stairs, and climbed them (another never ending climb). Apparently there were 3 floors of the ferry available to the public and they decided to stay on the second one. (No more energy to climb the next flight.) Upon entering the second floor they found themselves in a lounge of sorts. There were many places to sit, seats that kind of resembled airplane chairs only they were much more spacey and comfortable. Past the lounge there was another deck, this one less crowded then the one on the first floor.  In silent communication they made their way past the lounge and to the deck. Once outside they found they could breathe easier. The air was so cool and lovely and the sun so warm and merry, the water so blue and inviting. They stood by the railing gazing down for a while. They finally felt the ferry start up, and soon enough they were on their way. 

Once the boat started the trio sat down and let go a collective breath they didn't know they were holding. 

"So, we made it." Ron said lightly, still a bit of disbelief in his voice. "Do you think they've noticed we're gone?" 

Harry shock his head "Everyone is in Hogsmeade remember, they probably won't notice anything until tonight, and none of the Gryffindors will say anything when they see us three missing. Most likely they won't begin to look for us until tomorrow morning when they see us missing in class. That gives us enough time to lose ourselves on the continent." 

They stayed silent for a while, but the silence was disturbed by the sudden growling of Ron's stomach. "I think I'm hungry," Ron said meekly. 

"I'm a bit famished as well," Hermione added. To Harry's amusement, the wind kept whipping Hermione's hair on her face, and she had to fight to keep it back. She looked so lovely. 

"Yeah, lets go get something to eat." Harry assented a bit reluctantly. He wanted to stay out and watch the wind play with Hermione's hair. 

They made their way past the lounge, down the never-ending stairs (which seemed shorter on their way down) to the first floor where they had seen the McDonalds and the bar.  

"So, what do you want to eat?" Hermione and Ron looked despairingly between McDonalds and the bar. 

"I vote McDonalds," Hermione said. It had been a while since she had burgers and fries. 

"I'll eat whatever," Ron said. 

"McDonalds it is then." 

The trio took their place in line (a never ending line it was), ordered their food (3 #1's for those of you who want to know), and crept back upstairs to eat. They sat in one of those comfortable airplane-like chairs in the lounge, making sure they stayed near the windows. Ron in front of Harry and Hermione who sat next to each other, and ate silently.  

Hermione broke the silence. "Harry, I'm worried. How are you expected to carry around 3,000 Euros in your bag? What if you get robbed, what then?" 

"Hermione, I'm a wizard." Harry said between bites of his food. "I think I'd be able to stop someone who is trying to rob me."

Hermione nodded quietly and continued eating. She wanted to ask how he would get by the "No magic in front of Muggles" thing but they learned memory charms in Auror camp, so she decided she'd leave it at that.

******

"I think we're here mate," Ron whispered into Harry's ear as he poked him. Harry and Hermione dozed off after they ate, (Ron couldn't because he felt a bit paranoid), Hermione resting her head on Harry's lap and Harry sort of half lying on Hermione's side. It was amusing to watch those two sleep, they became entangled in one another, and even subconsciously they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Harry's hand would stroke Hermione's hair and Hermione's hand would rub Harry's shoulder.   

Harry became instantly awake when he heard Ron. "I'm up, I'm up." He said with a yawn. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were glazed with sleep. To the pain of his heart, he woke Hermione with a gentle shake. _*Get up love, we're here*_

Hermione's brown eyes opened and stared right into Harry's green. She gave him a half pout, half smile as she stretched, which caused Harry to think really interesting thoughts… 

But his train of thought was interrupted when he heard a woman's voice announce their arrival in English (with a French accent) over the speakers. She then followed that up with French, Dutch, German, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish. 

"I think that means we must get off the boat." Harry said as he helped Hermione to her feet. 

******

"So, which one are we taking?" Ron asked his friend. They were on the Calais port staring at the dozens of buses out and about. Everyone getting off the ferry seemed to know which bus exactly to board. 

"I have no idea." Harry said scratching his head. 

The trio made through the throng of buses, trying to see which one was going where. Harry, being a bit preoccupied with the current dilemma, wasn't looking where he was going, and immediately crashed into something. It wasn't a something however; it was a someone. 

"Oof!" The woman cried as the papers she was carrying went flying everywhere. 

"Oh I am so sorry!" Harry exclaimed as he bent over and began picking up the papers. He quickly had a stack of them in his hands, and he was about to give them back to the woman when he quickly read over the contents of the paper in front of him. _"Yellow Brick Road Tours",_ he read the heading of the papers aloud to himself. On the first page there was an entire itinerary, a tour of continental Europe that started in Belgium and ended in England. It was lovely! From Belgium to Luxembourg, Luxembourg to Switzerland, passing Liechtenstein into Austria, and Austria _into Italy_.

 _Italy_.

Italy was where he was going, for Aeaea was off of its coast. It was perfect! He shuffled some more papers and found a list. It appeared to be a list of names. It was a list of names of the people who were taking the tour. _"Blimey."_  He said to himself. He felt a plan begin to slowly etch its way through his brain… 

"Excuse me, young man, I will require those papers back," the woman said to him pleasantly, her English lightly accented with Dutch. She was a short woman, with very pink skin. She wore a hot pink shirt and a black skirt that reached her knees. Her hair was a whitish blond, up to her chin, and she wore black sunglasses. She had a name badge pinned to her shirt that bore the name 'Anastacia.'

"No problem," Harry said quietly. He reluctantly handed her the stack of papers, and the lady walked away. 

"What was all that about?" Hermione asked. She noticed Harry was walking with a purposeful step and there was a light in his eyes, sort of like when he finally understood a particular potion (after hours of her trying to explain it to him.) 

"I think I've got an idea." Harry motioned his two best friends to follow him. Making sure no one was watching them, he led them behind an empty bus. 

"How would you two like to take a European tour?" Harry asked with a grin. 

Hermione and Ron could only stare back with blank faces. 

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked. 

"Right now, when I ran into the lady, I saw her papers. She is part of a tour group, look." At this point he slinked to the side of the bus and pointed to where the woman he stumbled on stood next to a tall, brown haired man wearing jeans and a blue shirt and sunglasses. Behind them was a bright yellow bus, and on the side of the bus it said 'Yellow Brick Road Tours.' 

"Ok, so she coordinates a tour group. What's your point?" Ron asked. 

"My point is that all we have to do is add ourselves to her list, then we can hitch a ride on her tour. Their first stop is Belgium, but get this, I looked at their itinerary; their tour eventually leads to Italy. Once we get to the south of Italy, we can ditch them and make our way to Aeaea. Its perfect! We'll be surrounded by Muggles, which will make it hard for whoever is looking for us to find us." 

It sounded like a plausible idea, but Hermione still had her doubts. "How exactly do you propose to get our names on her list?" 

_*You know how,*  _Harry thought to her. 

Hermione looked right into Harry's eyes. She held her eyes in his gaze, willing to not lose the silent battle of wills they were currently engaged in. 

_*You know we can't do it.* _Hermione pleaded.

_*I know we can, its not like we've never done it before.*_

_*But before we did it under the supervision of other more experienced wizards. Harry, this is strong magic!*_

_*And we've done it before, and we didn't even need the supervision. Come on Hermione, you know we can.*_

They still stared at each other as if they were about to eat each other alive. Ron finally saw Hermione's shoulder slack. 

"You win." Hermione muttered. 

"Win what?" Ron asked confused. 

"On the count of three," Harry said. He looked around once to make sure no one was watching them. He then took out his wand and watched Hermione do the same. They then, very determinedly, touched wands. 

Ron stared at both of them, confusion clear on his face. 

"One," Harry counted, gritting his teeth. 

 "Two," Hermione echoed with a furrowed brow. 

"Three!" They finished on par. 

_"Tempus Absolutus!"  _Harry and Hermione cried together. 

A white flash emitted from the tips of their wands, which immediately subsided. Harry and Hermione surveyed the area. Everything was still. Ron was frozen still, confusion still etched on his face. They peered around the side of the bus; _everything was motionless._ A woman who had been comforting a crying child stood frozen with her baby in her arms. A man who had been hauling baggage into a bus was frozen in place. A ferry that was pulling out of port was frozen mid sail. The ocean's waves were frozen mid air; _everything was stationary._

"It worked!" Harry cried with glee. He knew they could do it, but he was still a bit surprised himself. They had actually _stopped time_. Of course it was only a temporary spell and it could break any second, but they did it. 

"Let's just hurry and get this done." Hermione said seriously. She was loath to perform such powerful magic as this without permission, and of course, they were under time constraint. 

"Come on Hermione, lighten up!" Harry ran towards were Anastacia stood frozen in mid laughter next to the tall man. Harry quickly snatched up some of the papers from her grip. 

"Let's see then." He flipped through them trying to find the page were the list of people attending the tour was. "Here it is." 

It was a long list with many names, 27 in total, some of them in little groups (those were families). It was a small number of people when you consider other tours. Most tour buses have around 46 seats in total and usually they are all filled out, but since it wasn't summer in America (and since it was an American company), then it was still the slow season. 

"Don't you think she'd notice three names all of a sudden added to her list?" Hermione asked inquisitively. 

"Honest mistake?" He said charmingly. He then turned his attention back to the list. With his wand bent over it, he chanted in a clear voice, "_Adffictum nominatim." _He paused for a second, and quickly added _"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley." _ Immediately, 3 new names appeared on the list, making the total number of people 30.

"What was so bad about that?" Harry asked Hermione, gently shoving her shoulder with his. 

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Allright! We're done. Let's hurry before the spell breaks itself." She was about to walk away when Harry pulled her back. "What?" 

He pointed to the little box next to where their names had appeared (bunched together, meaning they were to be considered a small group.) The title of the box said "sleeping arrangements." There were many arrangements to choose from, such as "1 room 2 double beds," or "2 rooms 1 double bed" or "2 rooms 2 single beds." 

Harry gulped, knowing that this would most definitely be an issue. He couldn't stay in a room alone with Hermione, (too much temptation, and what would Ron think?), but he couldn't let her stay in a room by herself either, it'd drive him mad with worry. True, they had telepathy thing, which should appease his anxiety, but what if something happened to her where she was knocked unconscious and couldn't ask for help?

"We'll just get a room for the three of us," Hermione said charitably. "You can sleep with Ron, and I'll stay by myself." He knew she was also thinking, "What would Ron think?" 

Harry nodded, but he wasn't too pleased. Ron kicked and talked in his sleep. By the end of the week, he'd have many bruises.    

Harry quickly added the sleeping arrangements "1 room, 2 double beds," then placed the papers back into the woman's grasp. He then grabbed Hermione's hand and ran back behind the bus to where a frozen Ron stood.  

They both took out their wands and lightly held them against each other. Since the spell didn't break itself, (_Thank god!_ Harry thought), they had to end it themselves. 

_"Finite Incantatem!"_ They both cried with relief. 

Quickly enough the silent stillness became the loud movement that it had been moments ago. The woman with the crying child gave her a lollipop. The man hauling the bags into the bus finished his job. The ferry continued its journey out of port, and the ocean's waves crashed deliciously against the rocks. 

"What exactly did Harry win?" Ron asked, still confused. 

Harry and Hermione were both laughing silently. 

"Nothing Ron," Hermione said as she giggled lightly. "Just forget it." 

Hermione placed herself between Harry and Ron and grabbed their arms. She then proceeded to drag them over to the big yellow bus where Anastacia was still talking with the tall guy.  

"Hello," Harry said awkwardly once they finally approached her. 

"Hello," Anastacia began. She looked like a very pleasant person. "Are you lost?"

"No," Harry said quietly. "This is the tour bus for Yellow Brick Road Tours, isn't it?" 

"Yes of course it is," Anastacia answered, obviously thinking Harry a big idiot for asking such a question. It was, after all, splashed all over the bus. "Are you taking this tour?" 

"I believe so, yes." Harry said calmly. Behind him Ron was giving Hermione a questioning look.

Anastacia flipped through her papers, thinking that maybe they were children of one family or other. "Name please." 

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley." Harry repeated to her slowly. 

Anastacia stopped flipping through her pages. "I'm sorry, I don't recall having those people on my tour." She said regretfully. "Maybe you are on the wrong bus, or maybe…"

"No!" Harry interrupted. "This is our tour. We're on it, trust us. Look for yourself." He implored with one of his dazzling Harry grins. 

Anastacia, who seemed to find the boy delightfully adorable, commenced her search for her list. When she finally found it, she quickly went down the row of names, certain these people weren't on her tour, but alas! There they were, the last three names, _Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley._  She took off her sunglasses to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She was sure that this morning when she had gone over the paperwork she had 27 people on this tour, not 30, and these last three names were not there. Then again, she had been doing this tour for 11 years. She knew she was bound to go mad someday…   

"Do you have your passports?" She asked the young trio, flabbergasted at the whole predicament. She needed proof of identity of course, she still had to perform her job correctly. Madness wouldn't come in the way of it. 

Harry rummaged through his rucksack and produced three passports. Anastacia looked through them and studied the trio. Of course they were who they said they were.

"Ok then, in you go." She said, pointing to the bus, still a bit reluctant. "I'm Anastacia by the way," she said as she shook hands with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "And this," she added as she motioned toward the tall guy, "is Fezzik. He will be our driver for this tour." She gave Fezzik a wide smile that lit up her startling sky blue eyes and he smiled back. 

"Welcome!" Fezzik said as he took Hermione's hand and kissed it. Hermione blushed prettily. "I hope you enjoy the tour and please, feel welcome to sit wherever you like." He had a Polish accent and when he took off his sunglasses he revealed warm, hazel eyes. 

As they boarded the bus, Harry shot a triumphant grin at Hermione who didn't quite catch it, because she was currently staring at Fezzik with a light in her big, brown eyes. Ron recognized this look from second year, in Defense Against the Dark Arts Class, around a certain Gilderoy Lockhart…

"Hermione likes Fezzik!" Ron teased lightly. He had the widest grin on his face and his eyes laughed merrily. 

"I do not!" Hermione rejoined, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. 

Harry could only laugh at his girlfriend's plight. Ron was not going to let this one pass; he was going to milk it for all it was worth. He'd probably hear the "sitting in a tree" song a billion times the rest of this week…

The trio instinctively made their way to the back of the bus where there was one long seat where four people fit. The other seats only seated two, and they wanted to be together. The seats were quite comfortable, and very purple, which wildly contrasted the yellow of the bus. 

They immediately noticed they weren't the only people seated in the bus. They saw an old married couple, probably in their early 60s, conversing silently two seats ahead of them. They would later learn that the old couple was Professor And Mrs. Dorset. Prof. Dorset would get into many arguments with the various tour guides during the course of this tour, as he taught World History at an American College. He believed tour guides were highly incompetent and didn't know squat. He was a very pleasant man and made easy friends with Hermione, whom he found to be a very intelligent girl. 

Two seats ahead of the old couple, was a newlywed couple, Charles and Hattie Bingley. In their middle twenties, they were young, rich, (as Charles was a trust fund baby), and very full of themselves. No one in the tour group liked them. 

Across from the old married couple were two old British dames, most likely in their 70s. They were vulgar ladies, but in a charming way. Very fond of whiskey they were, and even fonder of the younger men…

Way up in the front was a family of four. The Carters were a red-blooded American family, all blond hair, blue eyes and perfection. The parents, Mr. John and Mrs. Anna Carter were taking their two young, twin, daughters Hallie and Stacey on this trip as an early birthday gift (they were on the verge of turning 14). The two very short, yet very pretty girls kept eyeing Ron and Harry from where they sat. They eventually realized Harry was taken, and settled their attention on Ron, who didn't mind it one bit…  

In the seats in front of them sat a German born man who was adopted and grew up in Australia. He was very smart; he knew 7 different languages and also made easy friends with Prof. Dorset. His name was Nigel Parker and he had salt and pepper hair, and turquoise eyes that caused Hermione to blush slightly when he looked at her (and told her how very bright she was.) 

Next to Nigel sat Indira, a vibrant and funny woman from Sri Lanka who was on this tour because she had always wanted to see Rome. Nigel and Indira met on this tour and began a courtship that lasted many years. They eventually married and settled in Florence, Italy. 

The rest of the tour members, oddly enough, belonged to the same family, all 15 of them. The Chow family decided to take a tour of Europe to celebrate Eric Chow's promotion as CEO of his electronics company. Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sophia Chow invited their 5 grown children, and their children's spouses and grandchildren to come along. All together they made 15 and took up a good portion of the bus. 

"I believe we're all settled in," Anastacia said into a microphone at the front of the bus. Her voice blasted over the speakers, making her heard to everyone on the bus. "Very well then I am Anastacia and I will be your tour guide for this week. I trust you all know Fezzik, our driver." at this point she flashed Fezzik another thousand-watt smile, (and Hermione blushed hearing Ron's snigger). "Very well, I guess we're on our way then!" 

Fezzik started the bus and they were off, slowly turning out of Calais and driving away down the long and winding road south to Brussels in Belgium. Hermione, who was seated between her two best friends, rested her head on Harry's shoulder and soon found herself drifting off again. Ron rolled his eyes; _Hermione could sleep through an earthquake._ Ron ate his thoughts, however, when he found himself yawning and felt his eyes drooping. _Maybe just a little nap… _

Harry, however, could only stare out the window at the lush green French valleys. All sorts of emotions were rolling through him. Relief was an obvious one, he was so happy they had made it he could shout! This was too good to be true. He felt the need to pinch himself in order to convince himself it wasn't a dream. He felt wonder and anticipation at the things he was about to see, places he had been depraved of his whole life. Already he felt awe at the green and alien fields of the north of France.

 He also felt responsible, and faintly terrified at what he was doing, not for fear of his well-being, but of _hers_. _He had to keep her safe._ That was probably the predominant feeling, the need to keep Hermione safe. To emphasize this he hugged her closer an kissed the top of her head. This was _his_ half-crazed caper, and she had been dragged into this. It was his duty to keep her safe, always and forever he had to keep her safe, even if it cost him the _caduceus_, or his own life.  

He also felt a bit paranoid. He was afraid he was becoming Mad Eye Moody, or Ron. But something had to give. The escape had been too easy, and there had to be a bloody purpose to this whole thing anyways. The other shoe had to eventually drop. Maybe it was just him, but on the port at Calais, he also thought he felt a nagging sensation of being watched… 

Ron snorted loudly and mumbled in his sleep, interrupting Harry's thoughts. 

_Nah,_ Harry thought to himself. _No one could possibly have followed us, could they?_

Hermione whimpered, and Harry realized how uncomfortable it must be for her to sleep sitting up. He slowly lowered her head onto his lap, and she instinctively raised her legs off the ground and folded them on Ron's lap. Ron, still asleep, made a move to shove them off, but Hermione kicked him, which caused Ron to stop immediately. 

Harry chuckled to himself. _Even in their sleep, they fight._ Harry turned to look out the window and tried to think positive thoughts. _We'll be fine,_ he said to himself. He yawned and felt sleep take over. _We'll be ok…  _

******

Wormtail burst into his Master's lair, happy to be delivering some good news for once. "He's on the move master!" Wormtail cried happily. 

Voldemort grinned wickedly. "I told you he would go after it. Tell me, are they tracking him?" 

"Yes sir. It was odd though, we never actually saw him leave the castle. But someone reported a sighting in Diagon Alley, and the surveillance team moved quickly and immediately traced him. They followed him all the way to the continent my lord." Wormtail finished obediently. 

Voldemort laughed, "I knew he would. I know that boy like the back of my own wand hand. Very much like me he is." Voldemort said that last part with a bit of wistfulness in his voice. "Indeed, he is very much like me." 

Voldemort walked to his mirror and stared at his reflection. "Did you inform the surveillance that the boy must not be harmed?" He asked, his voice becoming rough and angry all of a sudden. 

Wormtail cowered in his boots. "Yes my lord, they know not to harm a hair on any of them." 

"Good. Now go, I want you to join them on the hunt." 

Immediately there was a loud 'pop' in the room which indicated Wormtail had dissapparated and was probably now joining the surveillance team. 

"I will be Immortal." Voldemort said icily to his reflection. "And I will have the boy." 

******

Author's Note: Ok! There it is! Chapter 8! Its actually supposed to be a lot longer, like 20 million pages longer, but I figured I'd just do the other half of Chapter 8 as Chapter 9 so that you guys got this faster and that so I don't end up insane! J 

To my reviewers, thank you so very very much! You have no ideas how much I love you guys, and how many times I've just felt like giving up on this whole idea because I didn't have any time, or because I was just too bloody lazy. But I would see the reviews (and I would hear the dialogue in my head which never let me sleep) and I just knew I had to continue this, even if just to keep my sanity. J 

Mara: I do welcome constructive criticism, and I do know I keep Ron to a minimum in this fic, and that is for 2 reasons a) This is mainly meant to be a fic about Harry and Hermione, and b) I write Ron horribly! Ron is funny! I cannot write Ron as funny as he is meant to be. So rather than having you suffer through my horrible un-funny Ron, I keep him to a minimum. J  And is Harry too glorified? LOL Umm…just hold your thoughts… 


	9. Moonglow

Disclaimer: I don't own HP, neither do I own the hotels mention in this chapter, they do exist, and I highly recommend them. And as for Yellow Brick Road Tours, to my knowledge I invented that, but if I didn't than tell me and I'll fix this disclaimer. 

v **Harry Potter and the Mark of Hermes **

Chapter 9: Moonglow 

When they finally arrived in Brussels it was around 6:30 in the evening (continental time). After spending half a day sitting still, Harry, Hermione, and Ron felt completely stiff and uncomfortable. They were currently waiting in the bus for their tour guide Anastacia to check them into their hotel. They were to stay at the _Tulip Inn Brussels Boulevard_.

"What's taking her so long?" Ron moaned from his seat. He was bouncing around every which way in impatience.    

"I don't know," Hermione muttered. "She better hurry up, or I might break Wizarding law and perform an Unforgivable Curse."

"I think I see her now." Harry chimed in. He had indeed seen her coming out of the building. When she finally boarded the bus, she went around passing out room keys and travel itineraries, telling everyone their bags had been taken up to their rooms. 

"Finally," Ron mumbled when they got their room key. They followed everyone off the bus and entered their hotel. It was quite a lovely hotel. There were plants everywhere, which blended into the décor, which was very green indeed. 

"Which way to the lifts?" Harry asked, silently taking everything in. He had never been in a hotel before. He found he rather liked this one. 

"They're this way," Hermione said, tugging gently on his shoulder.

When they finally got to their hotel room (which was just as green as the lobby), the trio collapsed onto the beds. Harry and Hermione claimed the bed nearest to the window, and Ron gingerly fell into the other one. Out of the corner of his eye, he could clearly see Harry rest his hand on Hermione's belly, and Hermione covering his hand with her own. 

In an effort to avoid such a lovey-dovey display, Ron began to rummage through Harry's bag, which Harry dropped unto the floor the second he had entered the room. Ron felt a book in the bag and took it out. He was surprised to find that it wasn't the Greek Book, (which Harry had in his other bag that currently resided in his pocket), but the book Sirius gave him for Christmas, the telepathy book entitled _Telepathy: How to Deal with It _by Godric van Danik. 

Harry, who had been silently watching Ron out of the corner of his eye while he relaxed there with Hermione, saw Ron browsing through the Telepathy book and suddenly realized something quite startling. 

They had never actually explained to Ron how this whole telepathy thing worked. 

_No wonder he was having such a hard time adjusting to it_, he thought. _He doesn't know what on earth is going on. _

Harry suddenly sat up and stared at Ron intently. "Do you have any questions?" 

Ron, who had not realized he was being scrutinized, looked at Harry with a rather confused look. "Questions? About-?" 

"You know, the telepathy thing." 

"Oh, um...well, actually-" Ron started, trying not to stammer but failing miserably. He hadn't expected this to pop up all of a sudden. He was just browsing through the book trying to understand the myriad of big words it used to explain this phenomena called telepathy. But he had to admit, he had been quite curious about the whole subject since he first heard about it. "How exactly does it work?" He asked Harry gingerly. Behind Harry, Hermione sat up as well. Undaunted, Ron continued, "Do you like hear each other's every single thought, or what exactly?" 

Harry shook his head. How was he going to explain something so complicated? He had to use laymen's terms, otherwise Ron wouldn't understand. "Well, it's kind of like a window." 

_*A window?* _He heard Hermione ask him in his head. 

_*Shh!  I'm trying to think!*_

"A window," Harry continued, glaring at Hermione silently. "Sometimes its open, and sometimes its closed. When we consciously make an effort to talk to each other mentally, the window opens up. When we're done talking, it closes. It's basically like talking, only in your mind. But sometimes, the window stays open, because either she or I forgot to close it, and that's when things sometimes get bad…" Harry trailed off with a quiet grin on his face. 

Ron looked between the two of them finally understanding what exactly it was they were going through. "So, if the window isn't open, then you can't share thoughts?" 

Harry shook his head again. "Well we can, but we don't. If we wanted to, we could throw the window open and throw ourselves into each other's thought processes, but we respect each others privacy and never do anything of the sort."

Hermione nodded in agreement. He had actually explained this better than she originally thought he would…  

Suddenly, the heaviness in the mood was interrupting by the grumbling of a stomach. 

"Ron! Must your stomach always do that?" Hermione asked, laughter in her eyes. 

"Well, it hasn't eaten since we were on the ferry, and that was ages ago! I am very hungry you know."

"I'm hungry to," Harry admitted quietly. "Lets go find food."

*****

Finding food was not proving to be an easy task, however. When they wondered down to the lobby, they looked around for a hotel restaurant and found they didn't like the menu selection. ("Mussels? Blech!" Ron exclaimed disgustedly.) So they did the only thing they could do, they turned to Hermione. 

"What are you looking at me for?" She asked. "I've never been to Belgium." 

They looked around in defeat, when Hermione noticed the gift shop selling one of those tourist books, you know, ones that have titles like "The Whole of Brussels and its Surroundings." Hermione walked over, picked it up, and began browsing through it. Of course Hermione thought the answers to everything could be found in books… 

And of course Hermione is always right. 

"Look you guys! Not far from here is the _Grand Place_." She said, affecting a very good French Accent. ("It's also known as the Grote Market," Prof. Dorset would later retell.) 

"The what?" Asked Ron, who was now running his hand over his stomach and looking dire. 

"The Grand Place, its like a square surrounded with beautiful buildings with the most remarkable architecture…." 

"What do I bloody care about buildings?!" Ron pouted. "Are these buildings edible?"

Hermione fought the urge to roll her eyes. "No you halfwit! It's a highly frequented tourist trap, and people sell food there and all that. Honestly." 

So with that in mind, the trio started out toward the Grand Place. Harry made sure he bought Hermione the little booklet thingie in case they needed it later. Besides, it had a map and it told them precisely how to get there.

Even with the map, however, Hermione thought it a sage idea if they asked the concierge for directions. The concierge tried his best to make the three little British kids understand what he was saying, but with such a heavy French accent it proved quite a difficulty. He was reluctant to be defeated however, so he grabbed a pen from the desk and began to draw dots and lines onto the map for them to follow. _"Zis dot is where you are now,"_ He began, smiling slightly at Hermione who was staring at him wide eyed. He had such a lovely French accent… 

_"And zis dot is where you want to go. Now, if you go zere, zere and zere,"_ he explained as he drew lines all over the map, and motioned with his hands where exactly there, there and there was. _"zen, you will get zere." _

The trio thanked the concierge profusely and set out on their trek. Even with all the help they got from the concierge however, they still stopped many an unsuspecting Belgian in an effort to conclude they were on the right path. _"Oui,"_ they would say, _"allez juste_ _directement__."  _

Harry silently thanked Merlin that Brussels was a French town. At least Hermione understood and spoke a bit of French. (And he understood it vicariously.) He could only imagine what it would have been like to stay in a part of Belgium where they spoke Flemish. 

All in all, their walk to the Grand Place took 15 minutes. They rather enjoyed it, seeing as they were stuck sitting in a bus for half the day.

When they finally got to the Grand Place, Harry could not believe his eyes. 

It was beautiful. Hermione was right. He had never seen such lovely buildings. Just looking at them was breathtaking. He was aware of Hermione's enthusiastic dictation about the wonders of medieval architecture and which building was what. ("That's the town hall right there! It was started in 1402 by James van Thienen…")

But Harry, who was still staring around in wonder and awe, silently drowned her out. He was silently scooping out the place, trying to keep the images in his mind and bury them into its depths so that he could never forget this day. It was too beautiful for words…

The Grand Place was basically a _very large_ square surrounded by gothic style buildings.  (as Hermione kept pointing out) But it was more than that, it was a place of communal living. Harry was well aware of the large amounts of people everywhere walking in and out of buildings, buying flowers, eating Belgian waffles, taking pictures, sitting in cafes, people watching. It was very much a tourist place, but it still didn't take the beauty out of it. Maybe it was the way the buildings were illuminated in the twilight that caught his fancy, or maybe he was beginning to get romantic notions (he was here with the love of his life after all.) 

But maybe it was just his sense of freedom. Freedom. Something he never experienced before. True, on his 11th birthday when Hagrid came and told him the best news of his life, he thought he was experiencing freedom. But he soon found out that even in Hogwarts he was trapped, trapped by a ghost of a man who wouldn't leave him alone, who wanted him dead, very much. 

And now here he was, away from the Dursleys, away from Voldemort's shadow, out of England, in a place he could have never imagined existed, even in his wildest dreams. It looked so ancient and majestic. How could Muggles see places like this and not believe in magic… 

"Are we going to just stand around here all day, or are we going to get some bloody food?!" Ron asked in a huff. 

Harry quickly snapped out of his reverie and glanced around the square. There it was, the café he spotted. "Why don't we go there?" He said. 

"Why not." Hermione agreed. They quickly made their way over to the café, which was eliciting very delicious aromas. When they were about to enter, Ron stopped in mid step. 

"I want one of those!" He said, licking his lips and closing his eyes in eagerness.  

The 'those' he was referring to were Belgian Waffles. Right in front of the cafe stood an old man making Belgian Waffles, of every style and taste. He was surrounded by a mob of hungry people. Apparently, his waffles were the best. 

"Is that all you're going to eat?" Hermione asked, completely amazed that after all his fussing, all he wanted to eat was sweets. Ron however, didn't appear to have heard her. He was already in line waiting his turn. 

When he finally got to the front, Ron ordered the biggest, most lavish waffle ever made in the history of waffles. Not only did he order whipped cream and strawberries on his, he also asked the man to add bananas and warm Belgian chocolate and a trillion other bits and pieces to boot. When his order was finally done, his waffle looked like it had undergone a volcanic eruption. 

Hermione rolled her eyes at him and stalked into the café, Harry right behind her. It was a very bright café, bright reds and whites all over the place. Ron went to sit down at a white table with red chairs to eat, while Harry and Hermione ordered their food. 

Harry and Hermione, the sensible people they are, ordered turkey _paninis_.  A _panini_ is rather like a sandwich. The bread was warm and toasty French bread, rather large bread, with some sort of seasoning they couldn't quite place. Along with their food and drinks, (and a drink for Ron as well, after all that sweet stuff he'd be dreadfully thirsty) they headed toward the table were Ron was, and sat down to eat. The trio ate silently, and when Harry and Hermione were done, they just watched Ron eat, who was still tackling his Belgian waffle. It was proving a struggle to eat it. 

When he finally finished, (looking quite satisfied with himself) they walked back out into the hustle and bustle that was the Grand Place. It was a lovely, cool evening and the trio was reluctant to go back to their very green hotel.  So they did what the prudent tourist would do, and they walked around. They walked all around the square, admiring the architecture and listening to Hermione talk about it. Once they were done with the square they followed a group of people into one of the many side streets that led off of the square. They soon stumbled unto a very alarming sight…

******

"Is that statue of a young boy, _naked_?"  Ron asked with wide eyes, "And is it, _peeing_?" 

Hermione tried very hard to hide her giggles, but failed miserably. "Yes it is." Hermione said through peals of laughter. 

Ron was looking around, eyeing the Muggles who were taking pictures of said statue. "And the  Muggles allow this naked peeing thing to be viewed for public enjoyment? Why are they bloody snapping pictures of it?" 

Ron looked more and more confused as Hermione erupted in hysterics. "Ron, its not as shocking as you might think. Its quite a well known statue actually, its called the _Mannekenpis_." 

Harry, who knew exactly what Hermione was talking about (he wasn't a complete dolt, you know) nodded in agreement. He had heard the story of the Mannekenpis on the tele while Mrs. Dursley watched a rather boring documentary on the statue's maker, Jeremy Duquesnoy. 

"Well the story goes," Harry said, "that there once lived a man who lost his son during a festival, and that he had the whole town looking for him for days. On the third day he found his son, who was standing in that corner peeing. The man was so happy he had a statue and a fountain built in his honor." 

Hermione looked at Harry quite oddly. "That's not the way I heard the story, I heard there was a fire and…" 

"Hermione darling, there are a lot of stories concerning the Mannekenpis. Yours is probably one of the versions also." Harry eyed the statue inquisitively. "I still wonder though, why is it naked? Isn't it usually dressed?" 

"Yes, it has at least 350 costumes to date, from all over the world." Hermione added. 

"Why would anyone want to dress a naked fountain of a boy peeing?" Ron asked. He still did not understand what the Muggles saw in all this.

"Ron, its just history and culture. People always find something fascinating about other people's lifestyles." 

"Yes, history is the most important subject in the world." A voice jumped in out of nowhere. The trio turned around to find Professor Dorset smiling kindly at them. He had heard their entire conversation and found them to be quite intelligent kids. 

"I'm sorry." He added giving them firm handshakes, "I am Professor Dorset and this," he said motioning to his wife, "is Mrs. Dorset. You three are the youngins that sat in the back of the bus today aren't you?" 

The trio nodded. "I am Harry," Harry said, "and these are my friends Hermione and Ron." 

The man and his wife smiled warmly at them. "What brings three young kids such as yourselves all the way here? Especially when they should be in school…" The Professor inquired. 

"We, err…we're home schooled." Hermione added hastily. "Our parents sent us on a history field trip of sorts. They wanted us to experience everything we've learned about." 

Harry made a mental note to thank Hermione later for her remarkable skills in the art of BSing .  

The Professor nodded thoughtfully. "Smart parents you have there," he said kindly. "And smart kids too." He winked at them and excused himself and his wife. "We best be off, old timers like us don't have the energies you kids have. Don't stay up too late." 

The trio watched the pleasant couple walk away. "I think they're nice." Hermione remarked. "And I think I want a picture of him." She said, referring to the Mannekenpis. 

Harry, who decided early on in this caper to try his hardest to please Hermione, ran off in search of a store that sold cameras. Luckily for him, one such store sat right across from the Mannekenpis. He marched right in there and bought one of those funny disposable cameras, and handed it to Hermione. 

"Now, I'll take the picture, and I want you two to stand in front of it." She told Harry and Ron, who were moaning and groaning at the prospect. "I don't want to be in a picture that includes a peeing statue!" Ron snapped. 

Hermione was rolling her eyes at them, waiting for them to grow up, when a silent voice spoke up behind her. "If you want, I'll take it and you can be in the picture with them." It said. 

Hermione turned around and found herself face to face with another person from her tour. It was Indira, the woman from Sri Lanka. Hermione recognized her instantly because she sat in front of her with that nice Australian guy Nigel.  

Hermione agreed to the proposal and handed the camera over to Indira, who smiled at the way Hermione pulled Harry and Ron in front of the statue and commanded them to smile. 

The picture snapped, Hermione thanked Indira who told them they best get going for it was getting late and tomorrow would be a big day. "Long drive! Luxembourg to Switzerland…" She yelled as she stalked off.  

******

The next morning, Harry woke up to a horrible ringing sound. 

"What the hell is that?" he yelped in annoyance. He got up from bed (where Ron was still snoring heavily) and picked up the phone. "Hullo?" he said into the receiver groggily. 

"Good morning sir this is your wake up call," said a heavily accented French voice to him. "You are expected to be down for breakfast in an hour. Thank you and gooday." 

Harry cursed silently as he picked up his bag and made his way to the bathroom. 

"Harry, who was it?" asked a very sleepy Hermione from her bed. Her head popped out from between the sheets, and Harry tried very hard not to smile at the state of her hair. She looked lovely. 

"It was the wake up call, we have to be ready in an hour."

"Oh bother," Hermione whined, "its 6:30 in the morning!" She exclaimed as she looked at the clock on her bedside table.

"I know, but oh well!" 

Harry locked himself in the bathroom and got ready for the day. When he was done, he went to wake up Hermione, who had gone back to sleep. When Hermione was finished, they both had a really hard time of waking up Ron. It was almost as if before he went to bed he drank a bit of the Draught of Living Death. 

"Honestly, I don't think even _that_ potion is as powerful," Hermione mumbled.   

When the trio was finally ready, (5 minutes behind schedule) they descended to the hotel restaurant where they were to be served breakfast. They found themselves seated at a table with none other than Professor and Mrs. Dorset, Indira, and the Australian German Nigel Parker. 

Immediately there was a division in the table. Hermione, Prof. Dorset, and Nigel began talking about the history of Brussels, and Harry, Ron and Mrs. Dorset were kept very entertained by the vibrant Indira who regaled them with tales of growing up in Sri Lanka. (Harry made a mental note of one day making a trip to Sri Lanka, it sounded rather fun.) 

To Ron's immense delight, they breakfasted on Belgian Waffles and hot chocolate. ("Yes, Belgian chocolate, very famous indeed." Prof. Dorset commented, and then he began a lovely dictation on why it is so famous) 

After breakfast, the merry group walked off to the bus and on to the next great adventure. 

******

"All right people!" Anastacia's chirpy voice said to the passengers of the Yellow Brick Road Tours Bus. "We're only stopping for more fuel, so you have only two hours to wander about and meet up at this same spot. Now off you go!" 

The trio got off the bus and immediately breathed in the fresh and glorious air of Luxembourg. It was a beautiful day, the air was so cool and the sun so warm and happy. Luxembourg was really not a whole country, it was more a Grand Duchy, but the people there are very proud of their home, and they have the right to be for it is very beautiful indeed. 

"So, what shall we do?" Harry asked the trio as they made their way down the streets of old town Luxembourg. It truly was a very remarkable little place, and Harry found himself enjoying it immensely. It was so clean and bright and colorful and tranquil. Everyone was laughing and talking and just living life.

 They stopped to admire a young woman at her easel, right in the middle of a square where there was a lovely statue of three men and sheep. (Hermione later informed them that it was called the _marche des moutons_ or march of the sheep and that it was sculpted by Will Lofty, a native Luxembourgian). The woman was painting a beautiful watercolor of a woman sitting in front of the statue reading a book (which there currently was, but the poor woman however didn't know she was being painted.)

"Oh. My. God. That is so lovely." Hermione muttered breathlessly as she saw the woman paint. Harry rather liked the look on Hermione's face as she examined the painting, and before he could stop himself, he asked the woman how much she'd sell it for. 

_"Pardon?__ Je ne__ peux pas__ parler l'anglais monsieur."_ The woman said to him. She was a very lovely woman, with hazel hair and cornflower blue eyes. _"Est-ce que__ tu peux parler français?" _She asked.    

Harry shook his head sadly. No, he could not speak French. He made a mental note to take some sort of French class next summer.  

_"Mais,__ je peux,"_ Hermione cut in. _"__Mon ami voudrait savoir combien votre peinture coûte.'' _

The woman looked at Hermione, clearly impressed. _"Troix Euros,"_ she said softly. At first, she was loath to sell her painting, but the young, brunette English girl with the impeccable French accent changed her mind. 

Harry, who understood _that_, chocked up the three Euros the young woman was asking for. 

_"Attendez un moment! Je ne suis pas fini!" _The woman exclaimed. 

Ron raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "She needs to finish," Hermione told him.

As they stood there, watching the woman continue her painting, Harry marveled at the weirdness of the situation. He could _understand_ French because it somehow translated in his head through Hermione (weird), yet he couldn't _speak_ it. Is this the same way Hermione understood Parseltongue?  

_"Fini!"_ The woman exclaimed as she held out the finished painting to Harry. Harry gingerly gave her the three Euros and waited for the woman to wrap it in some sort of paper thing. 

"Here Hermione, this is for you," Harry mumbled shyly as he handed Hermione the wrapped painting. 

Hermione's eyes lit up and she threw her arms around her boyfriend. "Thank you Harry! Its wonderful." 

The painter smiled broadly, seeing her painting bring joy to such a lovely couple. _"Merci beacoup,"_ she yelled happily as she waved the trio off. 

******

"We still have an hour," Ron said as they strolled the streets of Luxembourg, enjoying the site and sounds of the small town. At that moment, a lovely smell seemed to breeze by them, and they naturally followed the delicious scent. They were quickly led to an ice cream parlor. 

"Mmmm…ice cream." Hermione licked her lips. "Harry, can we have ice cream? 

 "All right," he said, feeling in the mood for ice cream himself. 

When Hermione ordered their three chocolate ice creams, the trio headed over to the _Ponte Adolphe_. 

The Ponte Adolphe was an architectural marvel and the Luxebourgians were very proud of it. The wonderful thing about it is that it overhangs the _Petrusse Valley _where very glorious parks lie. They stood on the bridge, eating ice cream, admiring the scenery and taking pictures of each other. First Hermione (after several moment of frustration) landed a picture of Harry and Ron, and then Ron took one of Harry and Hermione.  After a couple of minutes of this, they resumed their walking around Luxembourg, taking in everything they could and snapping pictures every which way ("We may need a new camera soon," Hermione informed Harry.) 

Finally, their two hours was up and a very reluctant Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned to their bus. 

******

"What do you mean there aren't appropriate accommodations?"  Harry bellowed at Anastacia angrily. 

Anastacia looked frightfully sorry, and also a bit scared. "Well, you see, apparently, we didn't book enough rooms on time so some people have to be shifted about. You aren't the only group on the tour being shifted you know." 

Harry looked around and saw various upset faces on fellow tour members. 

They had finally arrived in Lucerne, Switzerland, and were to stay at a very nice hotel called the _Schiller_ much to the happiness of their sore bums. To Harry's chagrin however, their room accommodations weren't going to be exactly the way he liked them. 

"The best we can do is to give you two rooms with single double beds. I'm sorry, but there are no more rooms with two double beds." Anastacia said, trying to placate a very angry Harry. She wondered why he was making a big deal about this anyways. But Harry did have a right to make a big deal about this, at least in his mind he did. How was he going to let Hermione stay alone in a room? What if something happened to her? True, they had the telepathy thing going, but something could easily happen where she gets knocked unconscious and can't get to him. He thought he had everything sorted out at Dover, but no, life must always plan against him… 

Anastacia tried her best to appease Harry, telling him he'd get even better rooms than the ones he would have gotten before but he ignored her and stalked off toward the lifts. 

He knew he was not going to get any sleep tonight. 

******

"Do you like your room?" Harry asked Hermione as he handed her a slice of pizza.

After they had settled into their rooms, the trio decided they were very hungry and headed to a pizzeria that was right across the street from their hotel.  

"I like it just fine," She said, between bites of her food. She looked very sullen indeed. 

"Good pizza," Ron remarked casually; he didn't see what all the fuss was about. 

After they finished their food, the trio decided to walk around the square. Tomorrow would be a jam-packed day, starting the morning off with a visit to Lucerne Lake, then spending the afternoon in a little alpine village called Engelberg. After that a brief rest in the principality of Liechtenstein and finally arriving in Innsbruck, Austria. It was to be a jam-packed day indeed. 

"I'm tired," Ron said sleepily as they walked around. "I think maybe we should call it a day." 

Harry and Hermione agreed, sore bums and feet agreed as well. They silently made their way back to the hotel were they parted ways before entering their respective rooms. 

_*Are you going to be all right all alone, Hermione?*_ Harry thought to Hermione, sadness clearly evident in his demeanor. He wanted to keep her close, to protect her, to make sure she was all right. 

_*I'm fine Harry, honestly. Now go to bed! You need your rest.*_

******

Harry woke up with a start. He reached over to his bedside table and put on his glasses. "Merlin's ghost, its only 2 am," Harry thought bitterly as he glanced at the alarm clock. He got up and stretched his weary muscles. He was tired. Very tired. The past few days had been long and hard, but even though he was tired he could not sleep. He was worried. _Someone could very well have knocked her unconscious and I would not have known, _he thought to himself as he paced the room. He went into the bathroom and drank some whatever hoping that the cool liquid running down his throat would sooth him. No such luck, he resumed his pacing moments later. 

Ron, who was prone to sleep through almost everything, was oddly awakened by Harry's quiet pacing. "Harry, if it bothers you so much, just go to her why don't you! And stay there for bloody's sake! _I_ need my beauty sleep." He punctuated this thought by throwing a pillow at Harry, who caught it and threw it back. 

"Are you sure?" Ron looked at his friend squarely in the eye. "I am." 

Harry grinned at his best friend. "Thanks mate." He was halfway out the door when Ron called back to him. "Harry! Behave…" 

Harry stuck out his tongue and left the room. 

_Good riddance,_ Ron thought to himself as he fluffed up his pillows and enjoyed the luxury of a single bed all to himself, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep in it…

******

A simple Alohamora spell, and he was in. When he finally entered her room, however, he dropped his wand to the floor and almost fell himself. 

She wasn't unconscious as he had feared. Heck, she wasn't even asleep. She was standing on her balcony, looking up at the stars and blue moon. 

But that wasn't what made Harry nearly fall over, it was the way she _looked_. _Is that my Hermione? _He thought to himself as he slowly advanced toward her. That…that apparition, that goddess, that being that seemed to be made from the glow of the moon, is that _my_ _Hermione_? 

As he walked towards her, several things crossed his mind. She was alive, that was all he needed to know right? Maybe he should just leave right? But then again, he might wake up later and be worried again _right_? So maybe it was in fact better for him to stay and…and…

And what? Guard her? _Or… _

Harry stopped mid-trek. He had to get _those_ thoughts out of his head. He was here for one thing, and one thing only, and that was to protect her. The _other thing_ had to wait, because he didn't want to scare her off. No, the _other thing_ was out of the question… 

But the _other thing_ clearly refused to stay out of his mind. She just looked so beautiful, staring up at the moon, the moon bathing her in light. She looked like a dream, an image that no mere mortal could conjure up consciously. No, she was an entity of the subconscious, and she was his Hermione…

When he finally placed a foot on the cold floor of the balcony, he raised his eyes to look at her. 

"I knew you'd come," she said. She hadn't looked at him, hadn't even acknowledged his presence except for those few choice words, and still, she continued to see only the moon. 

The fact that she expected him didn't seem weird to Harry, even though he hadn't communicated it to her. He himself knew he was going to come as well, with Ron's approval or not. He probably knew he was going to come all along…

In an unprecedented motion, Hermione grabbed Harry's hand and looked straight into his eyes. "I was cold, waiting for you," she said quietly. "With you here, its not so cold anymore." 

Harry felt like he would fall over again, but instead, he ever so slowly leaned in towards her and placed a delicate kiss on her lips. He pulled away slightly to see her reaction. Did she want to be kissed or not? But all he saw was Hermione with her eyes closed, licking her lips and savoring his kiss. It was enough to drive him mad, the moonlight playing a wicked trick on him by highlighting her gorgeous pout. When he couldn't take it anymore, he leaned in and kissed her again, this time biting her lower lip. 

Hermione opened her eyes in surprise, but apparently it wasn't an unwelcome surprise, for she reached up to tangle her hands in his hair. 

Encouraged, Harry opened his mouth against her, licking her lower lip ever so slightly, and she responded by opening her mouth and allowing him entrance. 

Harry had kissed Hermione dozens of times, having kept up their regular Friday night sessions despite hell and high water, but something about tonight was different. He didn't know what exactly, maybe it was because they were in a different country, Switzerland of all places, on a balcony, under the stars, basking in the glow of a heavenly moon. Or maybe it was because they were in a hotel room, alone, and this time Parvati's snoring would not be there to stop them…

Harry found he couldn't control his hands; those buggers had a mind of their own. They had placed themselves on the curve of Hermione's hips, and ever so delicately ran themselves up and down her sides. This caused Hermione to squirm every now and then, and his hands found they enjoyed her reaction, so they found new places to explore. They sought the lovely softness of her bum, and didn't hesitate to give it a slight pinch. 

Hermione moaned against Harry's mouth, which encouraged Harry further, and apparently, his hands as well as they now traveled up her taut belly and placed themselves on her breasts. 

Hermione stopped kissing him, and Harry feared he had done something wrong, when he felt himself being pulled away from the balcony by Hermione, and being led to her bed. 

Harry gulped. Oh. My. God. 

Oh my God oh my God oh my God oh my God. 

She isn't serious is she? Or maybe he had this all wrong and she just wanted to sleep now…

But then he felt Hermione taking off his shirt. 

Bloody. Friggin. Hell. _She is serious_.   

But all train of thought was stopped, however, when he felt her mouth on his neck. _Dear Lord…_

She was currently torturing him by giving him long, languid licks where his neck met his shoulder. 

It was driving him crazy. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst came when she started making her way down to his firm chest, where she did the unthinkable…

And kissed his nipple. And then she did the same to the other, and then she fell into lightly licking and gently sucking… 

She was trying to seduce him, wasn't she? _Well,_ he thought to himself_, it's working…_

But Harry was in fact getting quite tired of being the _seductee_, and quickly decided he wanted to try the role of _seductor_…

In one swift motion he laid Hermione down and threw off her tank top. 

_Good Lord!_ He remembered a few months back when this whole telepathic thing started, he had seen her naked. (In fact, he remembered that time quite fondly and quite often.) But seeing her again, granted, if only from the hips up, was enough to make him forget about the seduction process, and move on to the actual completion of it all…

He placed his two hands on her soft breasts, and began to trace kisses on her belly. This caused her belly to flutter and he could hear Hermione moan and wriggle beneath him. But he just could not stop tasting her. She was so sweet, and so warm, and he loved her. What more is there? He slowly made his way up her belly, kissing every available inch, until he got to her right breast. Then he slowly let his tongue caress her breast, which caused Hermione to gasp and arch her back. 

Before he could continue however, he was stopped by a sudden and insistent pounding on the door. 

"Harry! Hermione! Are you in there?" Ron yelled at the door. 

Harry ran to the door and opened it, letting Ron in. Thankfully, Hermione had scurried under the covers, making sure Ron didn't catch a glimpse of anything _inappropriate_.

Ron, however, was perceptive enough to realize what exactly he had interrupted. After all, Harry wasn't wearing his shirt, which was bunched up on the floor next to a white article of clothing, which he concluded belonged to Hermione, seeing as she was hiding under her sheets.  

"What is it Ron?" Asked a very frustrated and alarmed Harry. 

Ron had the decency to blush at the current predicament, and stuttered through his excuse. "Couldn't sleep…went to window…black cloaks…" 

Harry ran over to the balcony to see if he could catch a glimpse of anyone resembling a witch or wizard out on the streets of Lucerne. No one was there.

"Umm…Ron. Are you sure you weren't having a nightmare" Harry asked quietly. 

Ron nodded. "Yes, perhaps I was…" But he didn't look like he believed that explanation, and looked genuinely paranoid. 

"Ron, its ok. No one is outside." Harry said. 

"All right then, goodnight." Ron said, and hastily left a very thunderstruck Harry and Hermione. 

Harry sighed and sat on the bed, burying his head in his hands. Hermione leaned over and gently caressed his hair. 

"I should go to him shouldn't I?" He asked her quietly. 

She nodded reluctantly. "Yes, I believe you should." 

"Will you be all right?" He asked her, turning around and kissing her forehead. He wanted above all else to resume the previous activities, but he knew Ron would drive himself up to a paranoia so great he wouldn't get a wink of rest. Either way, Harry was sure _he_ wouldn't get any sleep either. If he stayed here, _neither would Hermione_… 

If he stayed here, Ron wouldn't be able to sleep. But if he left, Hermione would sleep and so would Ron, even if _he_ didn't. He would not be able to sleep tonight; all thoughts would be on _her _either way. 

Hermione ran her hand down one side of his jaw, and placed gentle kisses down the other. "I'll be fine," she said throatily. Did she have to sound so goddam sexy? 

Harry sighed again and stood up. "See you tomorrow morning then." And with one final kiss he went back to his room mumbling, "Ron owes me, big time…" 

******

After breakfast, the trio set off to explore the charming, old, village surrounding Lake Lucerne. Harry thought he had never seen a lovelier place his whole life. 

The Lake was tranquil, and silent, and peaceful, reminiscent of the one at Hogwarts. The water was clear and soothing and the air was cool and fresh. There was nothing more freeing than being surrounded by mountains and being at the foot of a beautiful lake. After wandering around the village stores, where Ron bought some Swiss chocolate (very famous as well), the trio could no longer ignore the luring placidity of the lake. 

"Would you like to walk the bridge?" Harry asked his friends as they made their way toward the lake. 

"Of course," Hermione said. She too was oddly haunted by the image of the lake.  

Overhanging Lake Lucerne were two beautiful wooden bridges, one, the one they crossed, called Chapel Bridge. It was a covered bridge, and inside this bridge, (as well as in the other one) there were various images of medieval art decorating the roof. On one side of the bridge was a tower. According to Prof. Dorset (as they would hear later on in the bus on their way to Austria), that tower was once used to guard prisoners. 

In the center of the bridge there was a tiny gift shop, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron naturally wandered in there. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Hermione admiring a very small round glass thing. The small round glass thing proved to be a melody box; it was a very pretty trinket indeed. The glass had a gold rim, and on the glass itself there were various hand painted flowers in different colors, those native to Switzerland. Under the flowers, in lovely script, was the beautiful name of the village, _Lucerne_.  The melody the box played was a lovely version of the Swiss anthem, and Hermione smiled gaily when she heard it play. When it ended, a sad expression seemed to come over her face, and she placed the trinket down and walked away. 

Without drawing too much attention to himself, Harry walked over to where the box lay. Making sure her attention was on something else, Harry quickly went over to the cashier and bought the box. Slipping the box into a little brown bag, he casually walked over to Hermione, who seemed to be hiding something behind her back. 

"Ha…Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked shyly. 

"Well, it's a free country. I can walk wherever I want," he said smugly, trying to get a peek at exactly what she was hiding. 

"No! You can't see!" Hermione yelped, trying to keep him away. "Go find Ron, we can't very well go home and tell his mum we lost him in Switzerland can we?!" Hermione commanded, annoyance clearly evident in her tone. 

Seeing he wasn't going to win this round, Harry stalked off in search of Ron, who was currently sitting on a bench on the bridge, surrounded by the Carter twins, and having a jolly good time of it. 

"Hermione's on the warpath!" Harry remarked to his friend jovially. "Best we be on our best behavior." He added with a grin. 

Excusing himself from the twins, who looked really disappointed, and joining his friend down the bridge, Ron rejoined. "This mood wouldn't have anything to do with the fact I interrupted something very important last night?" 

Harry stopped walking and glared at Ron. "Ron, just forget it, all right? Nothing happened…" 

Ron sighed and continued on. "Where is she anyways?" He asked gingerly. 

Seeing that his friend wanted to change the subject, he added answered genially, "In the gift shop, hiding something from me." 

"What do you suppose it is?" 

"I dunno." 

Hermione was in fact hiding something from Harry. Why, and what was it? Well, she planned it as a gift for him. First, she wanted to splurge the little money she brought for herself (just in case) on that charming little music box she saw, but that was until she saw _it._

_It_ was a wooden figurine, a carving of a lion, pierced and fallen in battle. The image alone made her want to cry in sorrow for the poor, beautiful lion. She knew she had to get it for Harry; she knew he would like it immensely. 

So when he came to snoop around, Hermione naturally hid it from him, wanting it to be a surprise. So while he was off looking for Ron, she made the best of his absence and bought it. (_There goes the music box,_ she thought sadly.)  

******

"What did you buy?" Harry asked Hermione suspiciously. He was afraid she might have gotten herself the music box, but he was pretty sure his was the only one in the tiny store. 

They were sitting on a bench on the bridge, taking pictures of the lake, mountains, the bridge, the tower, and each other. Hermione seemed to be obsessed.

Hermione stopped in the middle of taking a picture of a passing boat to answer Harry. "As a matter of fact Mr. Potter, I was getting you something." She turned around and took a candid picture of Ron, who was sitting on a bench in front of them, laughing at something one of the Carter twins said, who again managed to surround him. 

Harry raised his eyebrows inquisitively. "Me? You got me something?" 

Hermione focused her camera, and snapped. "Yes you. I thought you might like it." She now aimed her camera in the direction of the sleepy town. That would make a beautiful panoramic shot. 

After snapping that picture, Hermione dug into the pocket of her jacket and produced a small, brown paper bag. She handed it to Harry, and continued her picture taking, this time aiming to take a picture of Harry. He looked rather stunning, the wind was blowing through his hair and his cheeks were rather pink because of the cold. The dark water of the lake behind him made a startling contrast with his eyes, which seemed to grown even bigger when he identified the contents of said bag. 

"Wow!" Was all he could manage when he saw the wooden figurine. It was about the size of the palm of his hand, and he could not think of anything to say. It was beautiful, and oh so sad to look at.  "Where…where'd you find this?" He asked. It was a fairly redundant question, he knew where she bought it, but still, he was speechless. The lion, so brave and noble, seemed to have him in a trance of sorts. 

"In the gift shop," Hermione said. Unbeknownst to Harry, she was snapping picture after picture of him. She didn't think she had ever seen him look so handsome. 

"I have something for you as well." Harry reached into his bag and produced another brown paper bag. He took out the melody box and held it out to her. 

"How did you know?" Hermione asked excitedly as she grabbed it out of his hand. 

"I can read your mind," he said with a grin.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. "I know you can, but I would have known if you were." 

"All right fine, I saw you looking wistfully at it. I thought I'd score boyfriend points if I got it for you," he rejoined cheekily. 

Hermione decided to plop herself on his lap and delight him with a lovingly placed kiss on the lips. "I'll make you a deal, I'll give you boyfriend points for the melody box if you give me girlfriend points for the lion. Deal?" 

Harry playfully pretended to consider this before he sealed the deal with another kiss. "Agreed." 

"Hey you two, we are going to be late if you don't stop the incessant snogging!" Ron yelled across at them. 

Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes and righted themselves. "We're coming!" Harry yelled back. 

And so they followed Ron (who was plastered between the Carter twins) out to the bus.    

******

"Before we head on to Engelberg, we're making a quick pit stop." Anastacia told the passengers of her tour bus. 

When the time came, Anastacia hastily shuffled everyone out of the bus, reminding them about time constraints, and led them to the foot of a shallow pond. Above the pond however, there was a giant stonewall, and into the stonewall was carved the image of a lion, a lion fallen in battle, the same lion that Hermione bought Harry.

"This," Anastacia's voice dictated to the very moved tour group, "Is the Lion of Lucerne. It was carved in dedication to the Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries. No visit to Lucerne is complete without visiting this particular landmark. Why, Mark Twain himself called it 'the most moving piece of stone in the world'." 

Harry couldn't take his eyes off of it. Yes it was the most moving piece of stone he had ever seen, it was the most moving piece of anything he had ever seen. The way the artist captures the sorrow and the sacrifice of the lion, it's a stroke of bloody genius! When he turned to look at his friends, he saw a genuine appreciation of the art in Ron's eyes, and he didn't know why, but he could've sworn he saw tears forming in Hermione's eyes… 

"Very well people, time to head off to Engelberg!" Anastacia announced. 

It was a sullen group indeed that drove up the Swiss Alps.

******

"I don't think I have ever been in a more beautiful place," Hermione cooed enthusiastically as she took a picture of the site before her. 

There the trio stood, on a hill in front of a monastery overlooking the sleepy town of Engelberg, the Alps surrounding them majestically, their white peaks shining in the sunlight. They were low enough so that the ground wasn't completely snow filled, but snow was prominent in patches here and there. When Ron bent down to run his hand inside a small creek, he quickly took it out. "Blimey that's cold!" He exclaimed loudly.

Some of the members of the tour decided to take a revolving cable car up Mount Titlis, but the trio decided to explore the delights of Engelberg, and they did not regret their decision. It was a splendid village indeed. Everyone was quite friendly, and the quaintness of it all provided for many a Kodak moment. 

"Let's go inside the church, _please_!!!" Hermione begged Harry and Ron, who looked like they would rather lark around among the hills. 

"Fine fine fine," Harry agreed, as he was pulled into the church by Hermione. Once inside he stopped dead in his tracks. It was an amazing church. He didn't think he had ever seen a more colorful church. At Privet Drive, he diligently went to church with his Aunt and Uncle every Sunday (who did it only for appearances sake, not because of a firm belief in God,) and Harry found most English churches to be rather drab looking. But this church, wow, you couldn't stop darting your head around, afraid you'd miss some splendid painting or sculpture.  

"Isn't this the most beautiful church you've ever seen?" Hermione asked, clearly pleased with the aesthetic beauty of this sacred monument. 

Even Ron was impressed. "I've never really been inside a church before," he said, "but I find I rather like it."

Outside, Hermione found a small chapel, which was apparently closed to the public. She frowned, and trudged along crossly until she found a fountain to admire and take pictures of. She was clearly enjoying this experience.  

"I'm hungry." Ron groaned. 

"You're always hungry," Hermione said, now snapping pictures at a bubbling brook. 

"Well we should eat something! Who knows how long we'll have to wait before we stop in Liechtenstein." 

Harry and Hermione conceded, and soon enough, the trio found themselves munching happily on sandwiches and hot chocolate at a nearby café. 

"You know," Ron said between bites of his sandwich. "I don't think I can get enough of hot chocolate. I doubt I'd be able to go back to Pumpkin juice!" 

All too soon, it was time to board their bus, and journey onward to Liechtenstein. 

******

The brief stop in Liechtenstein proved rather uneventful. They only had an hour to fill, in which they had a snack (some sort of chocolate pastry or other) and bought another camera (which an over zealous Hermione used to snap pictures of the lovely Liechtenstenian landscape.) 

When they finally got to Innsbruck, however, they didn't stop off at the hotel first as they usually did. 

"I want you guys to experience an Austrian procession!" Anastacia said eagerly, "Austria in celebration is Austria at its best!" 

So that is why the trio found themselves outside _Hofburg_, the Imperial palace, watching a parade of Austrians in ceremonial garb celebrating something or other. (Exactly what they were celebrating was beyond them; Harry made a mental note to ask Prof. Dorset later on.) 

After the procession, (which Hermione found quite culturally stimulating,) Anastacia gave the group leave to explore old town Innsbruck and seek dinner. And that is exactly what the hungry trio did. 

After half a day in the bus, they were quite ravenous.  Following a feast of _Wiener Backhendl_ (fried chicken) at an Austrian café, the trio set off in exploration. Innsbruck proved to be a rather startling site. After the small towness of Engelberg, it was quite refreshing to be in such a sprawling city, where laughter and cheer and joy were found in every corner. 

They began their exploration in the plaza in front of the Golden Roof, where the Emperor Maximilian used to hold court. They walked around the happy square, very much reminiscent of the _Grand Place_ in the way it was centered, but still very much its own place, and very Austrian indeed.  

Hermione delighted in taking pictures of everything, the architecture of the place very colorful indeed, contrasting with the Gothic color scheme of the Grand Place. She loved the Golden Roof, taking an endless amount of pictures of it, and laughing as she tried to fit Harry and Ron in the same picture as the Golden Roof (which proved futile, the roof was too high).

After a long walk about the small alleyways, admiring the architecture and the all around feel of the bustling town, the trio sat themselves down on a bench, feeling very weary indeed. 

"Boy, it's been a long day." Ron yawned, exhaustion written all over his face. "How many people can say they've been in 2 different countries and one principality in a day?"  

Harry and Hermione agreed silently, both feeling very tired indeed. "I think we should head back to our meeting point," Hermione said.

Harry jumped at this, and helped Hermione to her feet. 

That night, in the _Bonalpina Inn_, the trio slept profoundly, Ron snoring across at Harry and Hermione, who slept in the bed next to his, both nestled in each other's arms.  (Guess they settled that dilemma) 

The next day would prove to be a big one as well. They were finally to reach the destination they were seeking, Italy. __

******

"Any problems so far?" Voldemort asked Wormtail curtly. So far, he was quite happy with the way Wormtail was running the current operation. _This was a first_. 

"Well, uhh…the red headed boy, he seemed to have spotted us one night in Switzerland, but we think it's all right. They continued on this Muggle tour as planned, today they stay in Austria, tomorrow they head towards Italy."

"Italy," Voldemort growled. "They're heading south…" 

Wormtail nodded. 

"Wormtail, no more mess ups, we can't have this operation jeopardized by foolishness! Understand?" 

Wormtail whimpered and reassured his master. "Do not worry, everything is going as planned." With a pop, Wormtail was out of sight. 

_Yes,_ thought Voldemort vehemently. _I will get you Harry Potter,_ _and you're little friends too…  _

******

**A/N:** Eek! That chapter is done now! We are getting close to the end of this fic… 

** Dark Golo:** Thanks for pointing out that Horace thing! Actually though, that "Voldemort" thing is done intentionally. Horace is not our average guy, how many grown ups you know wouldn't turn you in if you were out of school? Or would willingly take a potion from you even when they knew you were lying to them and scampering off to some other place… 

**Makulit:** Of course I know Rita Skeeter is an animagus! But in my fic, she isn't a _natural_ animagus, there are two different kinds… The _natural_ kind (which you are if the crystal chooses you) and the wand kind, which takes many years of practice to become…And if Ron doesn't react to Muggleness, (like McDonalds) its because either A) I was too lazy to add it in or B) Clashes with the flow of the story. 

**BloodLust Vampire: **I believe I finished in 3 days. I would have finished sooner, but something happened that took my total energy to overcome.. 

**aczavius1701: ***Blushes* Thank you so very much, very high compliment. 

** HarryNZ: **You have been a faithful reviewer since the very beginning, thanks a lot! I appreciate it. 

**Linz: **Thanks as well, you don't know how much me loves you and how much your opinion is valued.  

**Libertygrl413 and Bunny Girl: **I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I hope you liked this one also… 

**And the person that caught the Narnia reference and complimented on my Hitler/Grindewald thing:** Thanks! It's nice to know people catch my quirks…and I should put it in my disclaimer shouldn't I? *sighs*

And last, but definitely not least, **Max: **Thanks for all the lovely shower images! LOL And for making me laugh when I needed it… 


	10. Cry to Me

_Disclaimer:_ I own nothing! And oh yeah, I used snippets of songs in this fic. One of them is "My Funny Valentine," words and music by Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart. The other song is "Cry to Me," by Solomone Burke. It's funny how listening to K-Earth rids Writer's Block. (and if you haven't read a fic called precisely that, Writer's Block, its up at Astronomy Tower, and I suggest y'all read it)

Chapter 10: _Cry to Me_

"Why did it have to be raining the day we finally got to Venice?" Hermione pouted angrily. The dream team was currently taking shelter inside the _Basilica di San Marcos_,  which did provide a good distraction the first hour they were there, but was now quite frankly getting a bit boring, especially to Hermione, (how odd!) who wanted nothing more than to take a ride on a _gondola_. 

"I say blast this bloody rain and get on with the sightseeing!" Ron exclaimed, and rushed out into the rain. 

"Ron you git! You'll catch a cold!" Hermione yelled at him. 

"Come on you guys, the rain is great!" Ron emphasized this fact by opening his mouth to the sky and tasting the water merrily.

Harry shot Hermione a look and tentatively stepped out into the piazza. 

"Honestly, sometimes I feel like your mums!" Hermione snapped at both of them. 

Harry grinned at her and blew her a kiss. "Come on! The water is great!" Harry half laughed, half yelled. It indeed was great. It wasn't like the cold, dreary English rain; this rain was warm, and oddly comforting. It tasted of sweet ambrosia and soothed a world- weary soul. 

Hermione, who could never resist the beckoning of Harry's laugh, ran after them, covering her head with a blue guidebook on Italy. _("Rome, Florence, and the Venice: The Three Pearls of Italy")_

With a naughty glint in his eye, Harry snatched the book away from her, leaving Hermione exposed to the rain. 

"Harry you prat give it back" Hermione screamed, lunging at Harry, who quickly threw the book at Ron. 

"Ron catch!" Harry yelled, and Ron indeed caught it. Hermione then moved to get it away from Ron, but Ron threw it back at Harry. 

And so they began a childish game of monkey in the middle, in the pouring rain, in Venice, Italy, in front of St. Mark's Basilica, or more precisely, in the _Piazza San Marcos_, much to the amusement of passersby (and to the chagrin of some of the clergy). 

After a while of this game, (where Hermione's consternation reached such great levels that she did some accidental magic. Harry's glasses flew off of his face and landed in a puddle. Thankfully, they didn't break), the rain stopped and a sudden ray of sunlight illuminated the _piazza_. 

"Wow…" Ron exclaimed, amazement clearly evident in his voice. 

The _Piazza San Marcos_ is bounded by buildings on all four sides, making this square, well, rather square (more like a rectangle, really.) To the east of the square is the Basilica, and to the west the Napoleonic Wing. The long buildings to the north and south are the _Procuratie_ (which served as the living and working quarters of the Procurators of St. Mark.) Completing the square are the very famous Belltower, and the Clock Tower with its great bronze bell. 

But the remarkable architecture is not what made Ron gasp, or Harry's jaw to drop, or Hermione's eyes to get slightly teary-eyed. It was the effect of the sun…the sun popping out of the clouds, bathing the square in light.

The _piazza_ looked ethereal, almost heaven like in the sun's glow. The Basilica, the Napoleonic Wing, and the _Procuratie_ being very white indeed, looked remarkable under the sudden appearance of the sun. People were flocking out of cafes, museums, and out of crowded alleyways to catch a glimpse of this remarkable sight. This was Venice at its best; Venice the Queen of the Adriatic, enchanting all who have the privilege of walking around its squares, gazing at the architecture and history, traipsing on its bridges and gliding along its sea. 

With a lump in his throat, Harry quietly said, "Well then, I suppose you want to take a tour of Venice on one of those boat things?" He was still clearly awestruck by the sight before him.

 Around them, everyone was going back to normal, the _piazza_ that was abandoned during the freak thunderstorm was now bustling and moving as if nothing had happened. 

"I suppose so," Hermione said faintly. The ethereal effect quickly dashed by the sudden noise that the incoming crowd was making. 

Harry, Hermione, and Ron quickly began walking toward the harbor, Hermione a bit afraid that now that the rain had cleared everyone would be rushing to get to a gondola and that there would be none disposable by the time they got there. 

It was strange how rain can obscure the image one has of a setting, or how one's vision can be marred by it. Upon first arrival in Venice, the dream team could see nothing but wanting to get under some sort of structure to shelter them from the rain. Now with the simple fact that it had stopped, they were finally seeing Venice for what it really was, a remarkable center of culture and history, and a damn feast to the eyes. 

It normally didn't take one long to walk from the center of the _piazza_ to the harbor, but finally being able to admire their surroundings made the trio's trek rather long, (much to Hermione's displeasure). Harry and Ron insisted on stopping ever so often to admire something or other, and one thing in particular seemed to catch Harry's eye. 

It was a lion. 

Right in front of the harbor, in what is called the _piazetta_, stood two pillars. One pillar had _St._ _Todaro_ ("St. Theodore, one of the first patron saints of Venice!" Prof. Dorset would later lecture) on top, and the other column had the Lion of St. Mark. 

The Lion of St. Mark, the winged, brave, fearless, Lion of St. Mark. It was put there to protect the city, the Lion being the epitome of courage and ferocity. Harry could only stare at it. True, it wasn't as moving as the Lion of Lucerne, but this lion had a character all of its own. The Lion of Lucerne was a lion defeated; this lion was a lion defiant. Wings outstretched, ready for battle, this lion seemed to give Harry a renewed sense of purpose; he was here, not on a holiday, but because something had to be done, _by him_, as it always seemed. And at the same time, the lion gave him courage to go forth, and Harry began to wonder if maybe it was put there as a sign. After the ominous sight of the Lion of Lucerne, the Lion of St. Mark gave off a welcomed hope. 

When Harry, Hermione, and Ron finally got around to exploring Venice fully, Harry would find lions in very different places; a lion on the clock tower, lions in paintings battling dragons, lions with crowns on their heads. These various depictions of lions gave Harry a sense of belonging, and Venice quickly replaced Lucerne as Harry's favorite city.  

"Harry, we can stare at the lion later on!" Ron protested. He too was getting impatient about getting a gondola; it looked like wicked fun to be in one of those little boats. 

Harry slowly nodded and Ron and Hermione had to drag him toward the harbor. 

******

"You want me to pay you one hundred Euros to take a ride on that thing?!" Harry bellowed in frustration. "Do you think I'm stupid?" 

The tall, rather tanned man laughed heartily. "No _bambino_, I don't think you're stupid. However, if you ask one of my colleagues, you'll see I give you fair price." 

Harry did indeed take the man's advice; he rather stubbornly walked up and down the harbor asking the gondoliers how much they charged for sail. Some charged 150 _("it's a long tour sir!"_) some charged 200, others charged 99 _("this is a short tour however, and my gondola is a little broken…." _)  

Finally, defeat in his eyes, Harry walked back to Hermione and Ron, who were chatting pleasantly with the tall, tanned man (his name turned out to be _Giorgio_). "All right, you win. 100 you say? It better one of those long, thorough sails, or else I'll have your head." 

Giorgio laughed at the young boy. "You? Have my head? I highly doubt it. But come, step into my boat." He said merrily. He offered Hermione his hand, and she blushed slightly as she took it. "_Bella_," he said to her with a grin. "Is this _bella_ yours?" Giorgio turned to Harry suddenly. 

Harry blushed and nodded slightly. 

"Lucky rascal," Giorgio said as he pulled out of the harbor. Hermione crouched into her seat, hiding her face behind her hair, feeling slightly embarrassed, but pleased. 

Giorgio turned the gondola sharply to the right. After sailing straight for a while, he began giving a brief lecture, "This is the Grand Canal," he began, "Venice's major waterway. It is 4 kilometers long, 50 meters wide and 5 meters deep. This first bridge is the _Ponte degli Scalzi_, which was built in 1834…" 

And so Giorgio continued, speaking of the buildings on either side of the Venetian banks. He spoke of the _Palazzo Pesaro_, the _Galleria d'Arte Moderna_, the _Palazzo Rezzonico_. He seemed to be quite the Venetian scholar, well versed on everything and anything Venetian.  

"Now we shall turn off the Grand Canal and into one of the many little canals Venice is famous for." At this point he made a sharp left turn, and passed under a little bridge where people were standing and waving to them. Harry, Hermione and Ron waved back, and realized that the people waving to them were Professor and Mrs. Dorset.

"I wonder if they are going to take a trip on one of these? I know they'd enjoy it immensely." Hermione enthused. She knew _she_ was enjoying this immensely. Venice was beautiful, it really was. To think all this art and history was focused in so small a place, in a dozen little tiny islands that make up Venice.  

Giorgio continued his dictation. "On my right you shall see the house of Marco Polo, the famed explorer, who was said too..."

"Wow! Marco Polo lived there?" Hermione asked, impressed. Harry looked pleased as well, but Ron just looked confused. "Who is Marco Polo?" 

After a while Giorgio grew quiet, and all that was heard was the gentle rush of water as the gondolier swiftly rowed through the narrow canal. On occasion other gondolas would pass by, filled with happy families enjoying the sites, or young lovers enjoying the romantic setting that is Venice. Hermione couldn't help but squeeze Harry's hand tightly, enjoying the air hitting her face, romance riding in the breeze.

The trio was astonished to hear Giorgio break out into song, but what was even more astonishing was the fact that he actually sang _well_. He was a classic Italian tenor, and he belted his song out as if he were a forlorn man destined for ill-fated love.   

When Giorgio finished, the trio clapped merrily and Ron whistled wildly. Even the people passing by in other gondolas clapped and cheered. 

"You three are lucky," Giorgio said impishly. "I usually only sing after a bottle of red wine." 

******

Something about this place made Harry long to be back in the cool alpine air of Austria. 

The hotel they had staid at in Austria, the _Bonalpina_, was brilliant. It looked like something you'd see in a Bavarian movie, and the little alpine town surrounding the hotel was very charming, and very quaint. Harry longed to be back there, in the snow where it was cool because right now, the bloody heat was killing him! 

"Great Merlin's Ghost, I feel like I'm in an oven!" Ron exclaimed, pulling at the collar of his shirt. 

"It's not that bad, honestly. I think it's just an overwhelming contrast to the cooler climates of Switzerland and Austria," Hermione said lightly. "And you didn't really feel the heat in Venice because although the rain was warm, it still kept the temperature cooler." She was currently standing on a bench, bent over a brick wall, taking pictures of the many olive trees that surrounded the small town of Assisi. 

"Hermione, are we going to waste our entire visit here taking pictures?" Harry asked his girlfriend in amusement. He had to admit, however, the sight was breathtaking. The light, silver-green leaves of the Olive trees seemed to glitter in the afternoon sun. It seemed like the hills were dotted in fields of gold. 

"Well, what shall we do then?" Hermione cast a glance at Ron, who was rubbing his belly. 

"I'm hungry." Ron pouted grudgingly, he was expecting Hermione's snide remark on his "always being hungry." He was happily surprised, however, when he heard Hermione jump up and agree. "Oh goody, so am I! I vote for pasta." 

"I second that," Harry added, clasping Hermione's hand and already walking away. 

"Pasta it is then," Ron muttered under his breath, following his two very eager friends. 

******

After a lovely lunch at _San Francesco_, a small and comfortable restaurant on the _Via San Francesco_, Harry and Ron turned to Hermione to form the day's activities. 

"Oh honestly," she mumbled. "We are in Assisi for goodness sake. The best thing to do when here is to visit the Basilica dedicated to its patron saint!"

Harry and Ron stared at her with blank faces. "Oh come on," she rolled her eyes at them while tugging them both towards the nearest Assisian.  _"Quale senso al Basilica di San Francesco?" _She asked a young man selling red roses casually. 

Harry felt his jaw drop, and he saw Ron's was doing the same thing. 

_*You speak Italian?*_ He thought to her. 

_*Not really, I just know a few phrases to get by.* _

Harry was awed by how Hermione found new ways to impress him everyday. 

"Just go straight up," the man said gently, and in English, to the great shock of the trio. "I understand English, you don't have to speak Italian." There was a twinkle in his eye and a bemused expression in his face. He didn't _really_ look at all Italian. Then it struck Harry that this man wasn't Italian at all. His skin was too fair to be Italian. If he were Italian he'd be more tanned would he not? Giorgio was very tanned, and very tall, and he spoke his English with an accent. And then there was this distinct feeling that he knew this man, but where did Harry know him from? 

And then he saw it, plain as the nose on his face. His hand…there was a black serpent on his hand…just like the one on the salesman that sold the Greek Book to Ron. But he didn't look like the salesman, no, he did not. Sure, he _resembled_ the salesman, he could see it in the angles of the man's face, but no, he looked very much like someone else… 

"Thank you sir…" Harry said slowly. He had very quietly begun to inch away, tugging Hermione along with him. 

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, quite surprised at Harry's rudeness. 

_*Walk away, *_ he heard her say in his head. 

_*What? Why?* _

_*Just walk away! Trust me!* _

Hermione, who had now gotten slightly alarmed, gave the man a wan smile and began tugging Ron along to follow. As soon as they were a good distance away from the man, they began to run at full speed, all the way up the inclined street until they reached the Basilica's square. 

Panting, Hermione turned to look at Harry. "Harry, what was all that about?" 

Gasping, Harry answered cryptically. "That's the guy, he's the one…" 

"The guy? What guy?" Ron asked. He had just eaten, a lot, and that run didn't do any good to his full stomach. 

"Ron, remember the guy that sold you the book? He had a serpent on his hand, remember? Well, that quasi-Italian guy over there had the same mark on the same hand. So maybe, that is the same guy that sold you the book." Harry finished, collapsing unto the nearest bench. 

"Ok, so why exactly did we run away from him? Maybe he could have given us answers regarding the book or something," Hermione said, collapsing right next to Harry. 

"Or maybe he just likes snakes?" Ron added. 

"Don't you think it strange that we happen to run into someone that looks like someone who supposedly doesn't exist, on this weird pilgrimage that we're on, when he was the one that started it all? And then Ron, remember when you said you saw black cloaks outside in Switzerland? (Harry blushed slightly at the memory) Maybe you saw him? Maybe he is following us, trying to stop us. Maybe he'll lead Dumbledore to us or something! Or maybe he wants the _caduceus_ for himself, no way am I allowing anyone to get near it!" Harry finished with a flourish. By this time he was standing, pacing the bench, much the amusement of passersby. 

Hermione pulled Harry back down. "Stop pacing why don't you? People are staring." 

"I'm sorry," Harry muttered absently.

"I, for one, think you're overreacting." Hermione said, rubbing Harry's shoulder a bit. 

"You're right, we should go back and interrogate him." Harry said, standing up quickly. 

"We're going down the little hill again? Are we gonna have to walk back up?" Ron asked, slightly chagrined at the prospect. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly". 

******

"He is gone," Ron said matter of factly once they reached the place they had last seen the flower vendor, or whoever he was. Even the flower cart wasn't there anymore. 

"Well, we might as well go look for him," Harry said. They started their search by asking an old man with a bandaged hand who owned a nearby shop if he had seen the flower vendor. 

"Well," said the man in highly accented English. "Today there are no flower vendors on this street, especially at this time of day. Usually the flower market is on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the morning time, when the flowers are freshest." The man said this with a kind smile. "If you are looking for flowers however, I think I might have one here." 

The kind old man awarded Hermione with a beautiful red rose, and a map of Assisi. "A beautiful flower for a beautiful girl." Here, the old man chanced a wink at Harry who blushed slightly. 

"Thanks!" Hermione exclaimed, beaming. She made a mental note to put a charm on the rose to keep it eternally fresh.  

"What happened to your hand?" Ron blurted out, after staring at the man's hand, which was heavily bandaged. 

"I fell down the hill that leads to the _Basilica di San Francesco_." The man said gravely, clutching at his hand. "I used my poor hand to break the fall." 

Ron gulped. 

******

"Well that was fruitless," Ron said as they began the climb to the _Basilica di San Francesco_ once more. He was trying to deal with a mixture of emotions, annoyance at having to climb and go down this little inclined street a million times that day, apprehension of _falling down it_ like that poor old man, and aggravation at the Italian climate. Then again there was the fact that they had seen no more of the mysterious flower vendor with the serpent tattoo, and now he felt disposed to add a _heightened paranoia _to the list.  

"I know," Harry said, who was kicking himself mentally for being such a paranoid prat. 

"Come on, lets forget about serpent hand guy and enjoy Assisi!" Hermione sighed as she sniffed her flower. "After all, we still have our plan. No weird stalker person is going to obstruct it." 

Harry quietly asked himself who this girl was and what had she done to his girlfriend. Hermione was usually the worrywart of the group, and here she was being carefree. This was a welcomed change, she deserved to be happy for a while. All he ever seemed to bring her was apprehension.  

The trio walked toward the Basilica fervently, a sort of manic need to have fun and enjoy themselves seemed to settle itself over them. Maybe it was the only way to distract themselves from thinking paranoid thoughts…

Once they finally reached the entrance to the Basilica, they heard far off chanting in the distance. 

"Monks!" Hermione squealed, "Don't they sound amazing?" 

"Monks? Is that a type of animal?" Ron asked nonplussed. 

Harry had to stop himself from bursting into laughter. "Ron, lets just visit the Church." 

******

"Well, it is rather darker than St. Mark's isn't it?" Hermione whispered in Harry's ear as they explored the church. It indeed was darker, and a bit drearier as well. St. Mark's can be classified as being a loftier church, it looked bigger because it was more wide than it was long, while St. Francis' Basilica was longer than it was wide. They were currently inside the "lower church," where climbing down some stairs one can descend into a crypt, and find St. Francis' tomb. On display were also various artifacts once owned by St. Francis himself (like his brown robe.) 

Climbing back up, and walking out and around the church, they entered the upper church, which was brighter and broader than the lower church. Here, the famous frescoes depicting St. Francis' life by the remarkable artist _Giotto_ could be found. Hermione spent a long period of time examining the art, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over its brilliance. 

After examining the church and eating a _gelato_ while stretching out in the green grass in front of the Basilica, the trio traipsed down the little hill (Ron clutching is hand protectively) toward the entrance to the medieval town of Assisi, and boarded the bus. Next stop: Rome. 

******

Years later when Harry remembered his first quasi-trip through Europe, he would always remember Rome. Rome, like Lucerne and Venice would hold a very dear place in his heart. He would always find billions of little ways to convince Hermione into taking impromptu visits to either of those three places, so that by the time they were along in their years, with a family of their own, they knew those three places like they knew London, and so did their children. 

One clear image that Harry always had of Rome was the first arrival. They arrived in the early evening, the sun was setting, and Rome, with all its magnificent structures of the ancient world was the backdrop. All the colors of the setting sun reflected off these seven hills of gold, and Harry couldn't have enough of the site. 

"Harry, you best hurry up and change so that we can get going!" Hermione yelled to him. 

Harry was standing on the balcony of the hotel room he shared with Ron, staring out at this gorgeous site. They were staying at a beautiful hotel on the outskirts of Rome, on a high hill overlooking the city. This hotel used to be a nunnery, and it was very big, Italian marble everywhere you looked. It had its own chapel, and very green, very lush gardens.  

"I'm waiting for Ron to get out of the bathroom!" Harry yelled back at her. She was standing on a balcony right next to his. "Ron takes longer to get ready than you do sometimes." 

"Are you ok with this arrangement Harry? Or should I warn Anastacia that you are going to have another nervous breakdown?" She asked with a smile. 

Hermione was referring to the fact that again Hermione would not be staying in the same room with him, but instead, she would be staying in a room next door. This time however there would be a door adjoining the two rooms, a fact that made Harry less tense. They could always keep the door open. 

"No, I think I'll be all right. Why aren't you getting ready?" Harry asked. 

"I don't know what to wear," Hermione said, biting her lip self-consciously. "I didn't know we would be going to a semi-formal dinner thing. I only brought jeans and stuff, I'm going to feel terribly underdressed." 

Tonight, their first night in Rome, was the night the whole group was to go out and have a night on the town, together, culminating with a semi-formal dinner on the _Via Aurora_, near _Via Veneto_, one of Rome's more fashionable sections.

"Hermione, are you a witch or not?" Came Ron's reply as he came out of the room and joined Harry on the balcony. "Honestly. Transfigure your clothes why don't you?" 

Hermione stuck out her tongue and told them she'd be out later.

****

"Ok, maybe I was wrong. She is usually quite punctual." Harry mumbled as he paced the room. Hermione was late, granted she was only two minutes late, but it was very unlike her to be late at all. Ron was usually the late one. 

_*Hermione darling, Anastacia might very well leave without us you know?*_  

He could feel Hermione roll her eyes at him, _*She will not! Besides, I'm almost done.*_

Harry sat back down and told Ron to stop tapping his feet. It was getting annoying. 

Three minutes later, the door adjoining theirs burst open, and out stepped Hermione, and Harry nearly fell off the bed. 

She was wearing a white lacey shirt, very Hermione-ish indeed. Completing the look however, was something he could never picture Hermione wearing, even in his wildest dreams. (Ok, maybe in his wildest dreams…)

 _It was a black satin skirt. _

The satin clung to every curve of her body. The satin was smooth; the satin was dangerous. The satin was causing Harry to think unthinkable thoughts. The satin was causing Harry's hands, that had a mind of their own, to twitch a bit. They were wondering what the satin felt like, or what the curvy hips under the satin felt like…

Then there were those fabulous legs that peeked from under the satin skirt. It was very horrible. She had great legs damn her. And he didn't notice this before? He had seen her bloody naked! How daft was he? Then again she was always wearing those dreadful robes, and _he_ was constantly on the verge of losing his life. It made forgetting easier. Back in school he'd after see her without those robes more often…

And her hair, her hair was satin itself. It wasn't straight, not like during the Yule Ball. But it wasn't a mass of small curls either. Rather, her hair was more like a selection of a few, well-placed, thick, brown curls, pulled away from her face by two black sparkly barrettes. The look pulled together by the signature black Mary Janes. She looked stunning. 

Apparently Ron thought so too because he had a look on his face similar to the one had during the Yule Ball. "You're letting her go out like that?" Ron asked, a lump in his throat. 

"Huh?" Harry asked. He was pulling the collar of his white shirt, and somewhere along the inspection process his glasses fogged up and his hair got messier. 

Hermione giggled shyly, and laced one arm around Harry's. "Don't we look handsome?" She whispered to him, placing a well-calculated kiss on his cheek. There was a little smudge of pink gloss on his cheek the whole night afterward. 

"Huh?" Harry said again, the dazed look beginning to leave his face. 

"She got you mate, she got you." Ron said as he slapped his friend on the back and quickly dashed out of the room, laughter all over his face. 

"Let's go Harry, or we'll be late!" Hermione grinned at him, pulling him along the vast corridor outside their room. 

_Bloody hell,_ Harry thought. _This is going to be a **long** night. _

******

"Could you just stop staring at her for one minute, and come and look at this?" Ron asked Harry laughingly. Clearly, Ron was amused by Harry's reaction to Hermione's current state of dress.

"Huh?" Harry asked. He was watching Hermione as she talked to an Italian painter, who was trying to paint the scene in front of him. 

The scene in front of him, however, was rather hard to paint. It was the _Fontana de Trevi_, one of the most frequented tourist destinations in Rome. Hundreds of people were in front of it, romping about, having a joyous time, causing the poor frustrated painter to lose his sense of concentration. The British girl in the satin skirt wasn't helping things either. 

Ron pulled Harry away from Hermione and the painter and dragged him over to the Trevi Fountain. "Don't you find the architecture fascinating?" Ron asked, impressed with the grand scale of the masterpiece.

Harry's ears pricked up at this, "I think this whole European trip thing has gotten to your head. When did you begin to appreciate art?" Harry asked, ducking a smack from Ron. 

"Agrippa built the aqueduct where this thing stands," Ron explained. "I've always wanted to see it. I once found a picture of Agrippa hanging in Hogwarts, saying he never wanted this thing built. Pity."  

Harry could only stare at the fountain in all its glory; the sculpture of the god Oceanus riding a seahorse drawn seashell, and all the tritons lolling around, and wonder why Agrippa could ever mind? 

"Isn't it breathtaking?" They heard Hermione say behind them. 

"Indeed," Harry said. 

"If you throw a coin inside, legend holds you'll one day return to Rome." A flower vendor said behind them. 

"Umm…thanks…" Harry said. He reached into his pockets and produced three coins, and handed one to Hermione and one to Ron. They each took their turns throwing their coins in, and awing over the imposing work of art.  

"Let's explore the rest of the _piazza_ before dinner," Hermione said, turning to walk on, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. 

"A lovely lady such as yourself should not walk on without a lovely rose." It was the flower vendor, the one who told them to throw the coins into the fountain. 

Hermione nodded shyly, but before she could go on the flower vendor handed her a long stemmed red rose. "Have a nice night," he said with a wink, and walked off. 

"Its strange how Italian men seem to want to give away flowers," Hermione muttered lightly. She shrugged and laced her arm through Harry's awaiting arm. 

After a short exploration of the _Piazza de Trevi_, the trio heard Anastacia's loud voice beckoning them to dinner. 

******

"I think this is the best pasta I've ever had," Ron said as he devoured a forkful of _Salmone_. 

They started off their dinner at the _Piccolo Mondo_ with a plate of _Fettuccini Alfredo_. They followed that with a dish called the _Tagliatelle Carciofi_, which is pasta with artichokes, olives, spinach, and garlic. The actual main course was a dish called _Salmone_, fresh pasta with salmon, leeks, spring onion and cream. 

They sat at a table with the Dorsets and the Carters, (Ron sitting between the Carter twins, looking very smug). The table next to them was occupied by the newlywed Bingleys, the two old British Dames (who kept pinching the waiters' bums every time they passed, much to everyone's amusement), and Nigel and Indira. The last three tables were occupied by the Chow Family, and Anastacia and Fezzik. 

"Would you care for another glass of wine?" Ron asked Harry as he poured himself another glass. Ron had already downed three glasses of red wine, which Harry didn't like very much. He, as well as Hermione, preferred the softer flavor of the white wines. 

"Ron, do you really think you should be drinking so much?" Hermione asked him, a critical edge to her voice. 

"Oh shush it you! I wager you've had as much as I have!" 

Hermione blushed at the reproach. True, she had let herself go on the wine. Upon first entering the restaurant and seeing the tables set up with different varieties of wine all over, she didn't really know if they were allowed to drink wine or not. But then she didn't see any other drinks offered, and figured why the hell not? The Italians don't really care anyway… 

Hermione poured herself another glass and drank haughtily, a challenge in her eyes as she glared at Ron. Ron chose to ignore her, and fixed his eyes on the ceiling. 

"This is good wine," Harry said as he poured himself some more. "I've never had any before today." 

"Neither have I," Ron said. "I once took some of dad's Fire Whiskey once. Harsh stuff that is! Makes wine seem like water…" 

After a pleasant dessert of _tiramisu_ and a variety of fruit, the evening's entertainment began. First, a man came in and sang an opera piece, the same song Giorgio sang during the Gondola ride in Venice. Then a woman came in and did her piece, then they did a duet. After that, a band came in and played a lively rendition of the _Tarantella_, and various other Italian classics.   

Soon, the band regrouped on the balcony, and began playing light, smooth, instrumental jazzy songs. _Melancholy_ jazzy songs, songs meant for dancing, _close_ dancing. The kind of close dancing that is meant for lovers, the kind of close dancing that is _so_ close, you're practically sharing shoes.

 The first couple to go up was the Bingleys. They were soon followed by Indira and Nigel, and the Dorsets. 

Harry, who had been giving Hermione surreptitious glances all night, now took the moment to finally give her a thorough stare. 

She just sat there, sipping her wine, looking very much like Aphrodite with a cup of Ambrosia. She was unconsciously swaying to the music a bit, a dreamy expression on her face. 

"Hermione, _wannadancewithme_?" Harry asked, a blush on his cheeks, although one can't be too sure if it was caused by shyness, Hermione's beauty, or the wine… 

Hermione gave him an angelic grin and nodded. 

When she nodded, Harry finally understood the full implications of what he just asked her to do. 

Did he just ask her to _dance_? What on earth possessed him to ask her to _dance_? But he _couldn't_ dance! He was sure he'd make a fool of himself up there, he, being rhythmically challenged, and she, being a very good dancer. But she looked so beautiful, and he _knew_ she wanted to _dance_. How could he _not_ ask her to _dance_? 

He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took gratefully. Ron just sorta sat there and snickered. _Harry was going to make a fool of himself…_  

As they made their way toward the dance floor, Harry tried to focus on the decorative elements of the restaurant to keep his mind occupied; he did _not_ want to think about how big of an idiot he'd look like on the dance floor. 

The restaurant, which was a very classy restaurant, the walls painted a pale peach with mirrors all around and chandeliers hanging all over the place, was fashioned so that that dance floor was situated on a very large balcony from which there was a lovely view of the city. The balcony was surrounded by trees on two sides, adorned with soft white lights and lanterns hanging overhead. A couple of Romanesque sculptures were thrown about here and there for accent. 

When they finally reached the dance floor, a very handsome young man in a white tux and sleek black hair stepped up to the microphone. 

My funny Valentine… 

"Hermione, I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself, dancing." 

"You won't make a fool of yourself."

Sweet comic Valentine 

"If you tell me my father was also a professional dancer, then…"

"Oh shut up and dance with me!" 

You make me smile with my heart 

And as they slowly swayed to the jazzy music, Harry's hand on Hermione's waist, Hermione's hands on Harry's shoulders, making sure to keep a chaste distance between them, Harry concentrated his hardest on _not_ stepping on Hermione's feet. 

"Harry, just relax. You won't step on me."

Your looks are laughable

"How do you know I won't?"

   
Unphotographable 

"Trust me."

  
Yet you're my favorite work of art

At this point, Hermione took a step closer to Harry. Harry gasped at her sudden closeness; he could smell her hair, it smelt of coconut and roses. He couldn't help himself; he wrapped his arms around her waist, and she, in turn, wrapped her arms all around his neck. Very subtly, she planted a light kiss on his lips, then lowered her head and let it rest on his shoulder. 

Is your figure less than Greek? 

It was funny how they fit together; every inch of their bodies seemed to come together like a puzzle. He remembered how awkward it had been dancing with Parvati at the Yule Ball; her limbs poked him in all the wrong places when they danced. Hermione, however, felt perfect against him. 

Then there was this strange, tingly feeling covering every ounce of his body as he held Hermione against him. It was as if his cells were rejoicing at the contact, of having her there completely next to him, chest to chest, hip to hip. He was very aware of her, of the curve of her waist, the rhythm of her movements, the warmth of her body. All these sensations just exploded all around him, giving him that distinct feeling only Hermione can produce.

Is your mouth a little weak? 

And that wasn't the only thing. Strangely, he knew how to dance. Or was it that he knew, or his body knew? Oddly, he felt as if maybe it was his body that was leading in the dancing, not his mind. It was as if his body was so in tune with Hermione's, it didn't need his brain to be dictating what it should do next. 

When you open it to speak

Are you smart? 

And then it hit him, like a ton of bricks. Something so obvious from the start, that he began to think that maybe he was more daft than he previously thought. 

Trust. 

_But don't you change one hair for me_

It all began and ended with trust did it not? This whole thing, his _whole life_, was based around that simple virtue. Trust. 

His whole life he never trusted anyone, not until Ron came along. Then Hermione happened, and she trusted him enough to know that he'd save her from a giant troll, and countless other things…

But in fourth year, when _nobody_ believed him, when nobody trusted his side of the story, _she_ did.

_Not if you care for me_

And that brought about the surge of mutual trust that made itself evident during the summer, when his friendship with Hermione deepened, and which led him to where he stood right now.__

Trust. 

_Stay little Valentine stay_

It was why his mind chose hers, because it _trusted_ hers. And now so did his body, his body trusted hers, relied on hers somewhat. It was amazing, the feeling of knowing exactly what she was feeling, what she would do, how she would do it, yet not being conscious of it because it melded into his own feelings and actions. _It was magic._

_Each day is Valentine's day _

******

It was a subdued group that trekked the long flight of stairs up to their bedrooms. Ron went off to bid goodnight to the Carter twins, while Harry and Hermione lagged around in the hall in front of their rooms. 

Something in the air was different between them; Hermione felt it coming off Harry in waves. 

It was like the night after Hermione was sick. That night there had been a change, after that night there was an altered state to their relationship. Before then they weren't really _Harry and Hermione_; they were still Harry and his best friend Hermione. The night she was sick they shared an intimacy that was unrivaled and unchangeable, and that allowed them to grow together. 

Tonight was no different. Tonight, out on the dance floor, there had been that same feverish sense of enlightenment. Harry had this big epiphany, and it translated itself to Hermione. They _knew_ there was something different tonight, something changed, as things change in all strong relationships…

When Harry finally gathered enough inner strength to bid her goodnight, Hermione stopped before entering her room. "I'll be waiting for you," she said softly, but clearly and full of meaning.

Harry gulped, stared into her big brown eyes, and wondered if he was hearing what he thought he was hearing. Did she just? No, she couldn't possibly have… 

_*Yes I did*_

_*Get out of my head Granger!*_

Hermione giggled, and walked over to bestow Harry with a lingering kiss on his lips. 

_*You were saying?*_

Harry had a dazed look of sorts on his face, and Hermione, triumphant, sauntered into her room and slammed the door shut. 

_Women…_Harry thought, rolling his eyes as he fumbled with the key to enter his room, somewhere along the way that dratted card into slot, thingamohbobber thing had become a complicated process. 

_*I heard that!*_

_*Beautiful women!*_ Harry thought with a grin to appease her. 

_*You better be thinking that Potter!*_

He was happy to know that no matter the heaviness of the mood, he was still able to banter with Hermione. _Hermione… _

He couldn't wait to go to her tonight. But he knew he'd have to tell Ron, and he knew it was going to be hard to do so. This was it, wasn't it?

His train of thought was stopped by the entrance of Ron, who had two very large lipstick smudges on each cheek. His hair was a bit disheveled, and the crisp white shirt he had neatly tucked into black trousers was now missing several buttons and was half tucked in and out. 

"Sorry I'm late mate," Ron said, not looking sorry in the least. 

"It's all right,"  Harry replied with a grin. "No need to explain what you were doing." 

Ron, who had been rummaging through his bag for his pajamas, threw one of his shirts at Harry's face. 

"Umm…Ron?"

"Yeah Harry?" 

"I'm going to stay with Hermione tonight." 

When Ron heard those words, he froze in place. Very slowly, he sat on his bed, and stared at the floor. "Umm…sure? Ok, yeah…that's…that's fine it is." 

"Ron…"

"I don't mind at all, its fine, all fine…" 

"Roooon…"

"I don't mind at all, I'm ok, really I am, I'm.."

"Ron!" 

Ron stopped his babbling and looked up at Harry. 

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" 

Ron took a moment to collect himself, "I'm fine Harry, you go to her." 

Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thanks mate." 

Ron gave him a half smile, one that really didn't reach his eyes. Harry was about to step into the other room through the adjoining door, but Ron's voice stopped him.

"Harry?" 

Harry's hand stopped on the doorknob. "What is it?" 

"Well, its just that, umm…you, her, er…Are you sure?" 

Harry blinked a couple of times and sat down on his bed. "Sure?"

"Well," Ron stammered. "Are you sure she is _the one_, you know? I mean, you're only 15, both of you, and you have your whole lives ahead of you, and…are you sure its _her_?" 

Harry took a second to think before he responded. Was it sure it was _her_? Of course he was! More sure of anything he was ever before in his life….  

"Ron," Harry began, his voice a little shaky. "All my life I never felt loved. I know I must have felt love at some point in my very early childhood, but when I moved in with my aunt and uncle that emotion ceased to exist in my life. For 10 years of my life I never felt love, I never felt trust, I never felt friendship or gratitude or affection. Can you imagine yourself living 10 years like that?" 

Ron shook his head emphatically. 

"Then I came to Hogwarts, and I met you, and you were my friend, and you accepted me unconditionally, and I had _never_ before in my life felt that."  

Ron blushed a bit, but let Harry continue. 

"And then Hermione came, and she was like you, she accepted me _unconditionally_. And we were happy together, the three of us, all going off trying to get ourselves killed every year, but always living through it because we had each other. I was never happier before in my life. 

Harry's happy expression sort of clouded over at this point, "Then we got into fourth year and things changed. It was like second year all over again, no one believed me. No one thought I was telling the truth. In second year it was bearable, actually, I hardly noticed, all that mattered to me was what that you and Hermione believed me, and you did, you two stood by me when everyone else was against me. But in fourth year it was different wasn't it? You weren't there for me were you?" 

Ron opened his mouth to speak but Harry stopped him.

"Let me finish, I _need_ to get this out. In fourth year Ron you failed me, _you failed me._ And I know I outwardly forgave you for it, in my heart I have also, but I never really discussed it with you. It's something that's been eating away at me for a year already. Ron, things changed between us, you know they did, I know you sensed it in the beginning of this year." 

Ron looked as if he was about to interrupt again, but stopped himself. 

"The only person that believed me was Hermione. Hermione. You don't understand how important it is to me to be accepted, something I never felt growing up, and she trusted me _unconditionally_. I didn't even have to explain myself to her, she just believed me and accepted me and was there when I needed her. Do you know she stayed up until two in the morning helping me with my summoning charm for the first task? Naturally, I didn't laugh as much with her as I did with you, but that isn't the important thing. The important thing is that when I was with her I felt loved. And I loved her so much for it…"

"But it was only friendship then. I felt a friendly gratitude for her. I didn't really begin to fall in love with her until summer. Summer…summer changed things Ron. The Triwizard tournament left me scarred, I was really broken then. I remember when Dumbledore approached me about Auror Camp, he claimed it was to 'take my mind off grievous thoughts,' but deep down I knew it was just training for things to come. I remember asking him if you or Hermione were going to accompany me, and I remember feeling sad that you couldn't make it, but I felt a _relief_ so _immense_ when he told me Hermione was going." 

"It was just the two of us Ron, and it wasn't awkward. I remember the first few days without you in fourth year were strange, how could we be a triumvirate without you? But then it got better, it did, and this summer it was like I didn't feel your absence. She really is a different person during summer; she wasn't constantly worry about homework and all that. True, she was still Hermione, 'Harry! We need to practice that first aid spell again, we're getting tested tomorrow.'  But she was different; _I _was different. I remember the warm summer nights; we would stay up on the front porch of our cabin, lying on the hammock. We were always squished together, but still oddly comfortable. We would take turns reading to each other from _The Chronicles of Narnia_, I found myself fascinated with those books and I was grateful she brought them with her. Other times we would just sway back and forth, listening to music on an old, busted up radio. She really likes old music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and I sort of found my appreciation of it from her.  Most of the times however, the only music we had was the chirping of the crickets and the small, gentle laps the lake would give. On those nights I found in her my confidant, the one person I trusted with everything (almost everything)." 

"With her, I finally found the courage to voice the events of the end of fourth year. At that time I hadn't really told anyone about what happened, except for Dumbledore and Sirius, and that was right after it all happened. I didn't really have a time to grieve about it openly, with another person. I would have told you Ron, but I just couldn't. I remember the night it happened I was lying in the infirmary and feeling the need to burst into tears, but I couldn't, all the while I was wishing you would turn away so I could. It was then I realized it wasn't the same between us Ron, I didn't feel that unconditional acceptance anymore, you somehow tore that away when you refused to believe me and spent your time mad at me when I needed you the most." 

"But I didn't feel the same with Hermione, no, not with Hermione, Hermione, who has been there since forever. She was there in first year when I passed the flames, she hugged me and cried for me then, and I remember how much braver it made me feel, and how much strength it gave me. I knew I had to come back out of there alive and with the stone; I couldn't fail her. And in second year when she was petrified, I felt so hopeless! I was sure I'd screw up without her there, but because she was petrified I fought harder to make sure she was safe. In third year she helped me free Sirius. I was so grateful and amazed that she would get through her fear of heights just to help me, just like she did this year. And fourth year, wow! I didn't want to go to breakfast the morning after the goblet incident, and it was as if she could read my mind even then, she showed up at my front door with a stack of toast in her hands." 

"Ron, you can't tell me we're _too young_, too much has happened for us to be _too young_, and you can't ask me if she is _the one_. She became _the one_ when I cried on her lap during those bittersweet summer nights, when her tears mingled with mine; she became _the one_ when she fell on me in the library while we looked for a spell to get read of the stupid polyjuice mix-up; she was _the one_ when she walked into our compartment during the first train ride to Hogwarts, when she fixed my broken down glasses and gave me that lovely crooked toothed smile. And Ron, I'm sorry if _we've_ hurt you, and I'm sorry if I've ever done anything to fail you as a friend, and I want you to know that I forgive you for being a prat in fourth year, and I hope you forgive me too if I was one also, and I hope you also forgive me for keeping this buried inside for so long." 

That being said, Harry's shoulder seemed to slump as if a great weight had been taken off of them. 

Ron, on the other hand, looked as if he was about ready to cry, or hurl, or both. He couldn't look Harry in the eyes, and kept passing his hand through his hair and sighing heavily. 

"Ron, I…"

"Just stop. Look Harry, I know that I've…what I mean to say is…I'm sorry." Ron looked up into Harry's eyes, his face a bit contorted, "I'm sorry for being such a prat, I didn't realize how much it must have hurt you, I guess I'm just self-absorbed that way." Ron said with a half smile. "And Harry, you have nothing to be sorry about." 

Harry nodded once, and got up to go. 

"Harry, just; _be_ careful. Take care of her, don't you _dare_ hurt her." 

Harry nodded again and reached the doorknob that led to the other room.

"And Harry, you lucky bastard, you better tell me all about it in the morning!" Ron said this with a laugh and wink, which in turn made Harry laugh, and made him feel better than any sorrowful proclamations ever could. 

******

When he entered her room and didn't find her immediately, it briefly crossed his mind that maybe she had changed her mind. But of course she was there, he found her on the balcony, naturally. He wrapped his arms around and she relaxed against his body. 

"I heard you, with Ron." 

"I know you did, I wanted you to." 

They stayed like that for a few moments, Harry kissing her hair lightly, Hermione nuzzling Harry's chin with hers, the warm Italian air beating down on them lightly. What a startling contrast to the crisp coolness of Switzerland. Then again, everything about tonight was warmer than in Switzerland…

"Let's go inside," Hermione whispered softly in Harry's ear. She grabbed Harry's hand and led him inside, not minding to close the door leading to the balcony. 

Once inside Harry and Hermione stood facing each other, uncertain of what to do next. It was different tonight; it wasn't like Switzerland where there was a surrealness to their actions. 

This was it, nothing was going to stop them tonight; Ron wasn't going to burst in screaming Armageddon, _this_ was actually _it_. 

Hermione walked over to the small alarm clock/radio on the dresser next to her bed. She wanted to hear music. After changing a couple of stations, she finally found one she liked. 

"Dance with me," she asked Harry as she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. 

"Here?" 

"Yes." 

_When your baby leaves you all alone   
And nobody calls you on the phone   
Ah, don't you feel like crying? _

As they softly swayed to the music, Harry was taken back to the warm summer nights of Auror Camp. How had he been so daft? 

_Don't you feel like crying?   
Well here I am my honey   
Oh, come on you cry to me._

Hermione tentatively began unbuttoning Harry's shirt while still moving to the rhythm of the song. The song was slow, sensual, she had heard it many times during summer while resting in Harry's arms, while mourning and crying with him over events he blamed himself for unnecessarily. How could she have been so blind? _  
  
_

_When you're all alone in your lonely room   
And there's nothing but the smell of her perfume   
Ah don't you feel like crying?_

Harry was surprised to feel a wet warmth on his bare chest; Hermione was crying. He felt like crying too. As much as he wanted this to happen, he knew that this was it, this was the end. They were about to break the final barrier of friendship, a friendship that meant more to him than anything else in the world. 

_Don't you feel like crying?   
Ah don't you feel like crying?   
Come on, come on cry to me. _

Harry reached down and fumbled with the bottom of her shirt, looking into Hermione's teary eyes. An unspoken agreement, and her shirt flew off. He grabbed a bundle of hair in his hands and took it off her shoulders, leaving way for him to kiss her neck softly. A sob escaped Hermione, and he pulled her closer to him. 

_Well nothing could be sadder   
Than a glass of wine, all alone   
Loneliness, loneliness, it's such a waste of time   
Oh-oh yeah _

_*Hermione, are you…?*_

_*Yes, I'm sure.*_

He kissed her forehead softly, rubbing his hand up and down her spine, feeling her shiver against him. With one click flick she was naked from her hips up. She was so warm against him, so perfect it hurt. 

You don't ever have to walk alone, oh you see   
Oh come on, take my hand and baby won't you walk with me?   
Oh ya 

When he finally found the presence of mind to take her to the bed, he marveled at how willingly she offered herself to him. She was so beautiful, and she was it. She was it, and that made him the happiest he ever felt. Nothing was going to take this moment away from him, nothing. She was the one, she always was and she always would be and it made him feel confident, and ready, ready to meet anything that came their way. The crying would end now, the feeling of loneliness, the manic need to feel accepted; it would all end now. The constant anxiety and fear of things to come would end; now they had each other and with each other they could face anything. 

_When you're waiting for a voice to come   
In the night and there is no one   
Ah don't you feel like crying?   
Don't you feel like crying?   
Ah don't you feel like crying?   
Come on, come on cry to me._

******

Ok people, this is NOT the end as some thought! I still have another chapter to go, or possibly two… 

I haven't decided yet. 

Thanks for reviewing though!  


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